The UFC stands as the ultimate destination for rising MMA prospects, the promotion every fighter dreams of reaching. Yet, not every fighter is ready for it. British MMA prospect Paddy Pimblett initially turned down a UFC contract in the last decade. “I turned them down twice,” Pimblett said back in 2022.

However, after gaining recognition in regional promotions, Pimblett kept his options open and eventually signed his UFC contract on his own terms. Pimblett isn’t alone. In fact, English UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall also turned down the promotion in the past. Until now, no one had confirmed it, but the Brit has finally cleared the air about it.

“It wasn’t easy,” the story behind Tom Aspinall rejecting the UFC deal

“Yes, yeah. I didn’t think I had enough experience to fight,” Tom Aspinall told streamer Morgan Sam Lee Burtwistle from AngryGinge. “In the UFC, because I was aware there was quite a big difference, mate. I always knew my skill level was up there, but I thought I needed more experience before I got up there. I had a couple of Cage Warriors fights, and then I struggled to get matches anymore.”

Aspinall, fighting out of Atherton, England, launched his professional career on the regional circuit in 2014 after a successful amateur run. After his pro debut, he quickly made a name for himself with his heavy build and impressive skill set. However, over time, he ran out of quality sparring partners and opponents, which eventually caused financial difficulties.

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“I was struggling to fight because I was too good, but there weren’t a lot of heavyweights around. It wasn’t easy to turn it down, but I was mature enough to know I was good enough. Experience-wise, I wasn’t there yet,” Tom Aspinall said.

During that phase, Aspinall relied on guidance from Tyson Fury’s uncle and longtime boxing coach, Peter Fury.  Fury arranged sparring sessions with Tyson himself, who matched the Briton in size. Around that period, Tom Aspinall also stepped into the boxing ring in 2017 to face Tamas Bajzath.

After scoring a knockout win, he then decided to fully shift his focus toward a future in the UFC. “Then, a couple of fights later, I accepted it. I wanted to get as much experience as I could in Cage Warriors. Yeah, I had two fights, and then I was struggling there, so I had no choice,” Aspinall said.

Now firmly established in the UFC, Tom Aspinall has climbed to the top of the heavyweight division. He has already competed in 10 fights with the promotion and currently holds the UFC heavyweight title. Despite that success, the UFC heavyweight champ has shown little interest in contract extensions with the UFC at this stage.

Aspinall’s father discusses a potential boxing future beyond the UFC

The promotion stalled Tom’s journey to becoming an undisputed champion for over 500 days, even though he held the interim heavyweight title for nearly the entire period. During that time, Tom stayed inactive and faced financial uncertainty while champion Jon Jones repeatedly postponed and avoided a fight with him.

Since then, Aspinall’s father, Andy Aspinall, has openly criticized the Dana White and UFC for not treating him fairly. Even after Jones vacated the belt and the UFC promoted Tom to undisputed champion, the promotion still failed to hold any formal ceremony or recognition for the achievement, which only fueled Andy’s frustration.

As a result, he later stated in public appearances that he does not want Tom to sign another UFC contract and is instead considering major boxing opportunities for bigger paydays.

“Boxing for sure,” Andy Aspinall answered when asked if he would prefer Tom be an MMA or boxing champion. “The money is more money. He has three more fights on the contract, and I don’t want to sign a new contract personally.”

However, Tom Aspinall has not commented on whether his father was serious or if he actually plans to leave the promotion. Tensions have risen further after Tom’s UFC 321 fight ended in a no-contest, straining his relationship with Dana White.

What’s your take on their dynamic? Share your thoughts below.