Dana White ups the stakes ahead of Aspinall vs Blaydes at UFC 304

UFC president Dana White has increased the stakes for this weekend’s co-main event at UFC 304 in the United Kingdom, declaring that the winner of Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes will fight either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic next.

Aspinall and Blaydes fight for the UFC interim heavyweight title in the early hours of Sunday morning at the Co-op Live in Manchester.

However, the real champion of the heavyweight division is elsewhere.

Jones holds the title but has only fought once in the past four years, defeating Ciryl Gane in March 2023.

The American is expected to fight Miocic — the other historically dominant fighter in the division — later this year.

The 41-year-old Miocic has also been inactive recently, not entering the octagon since his loss to Francis Ngannou in early 2021.

However, he still holds the record for the most wins in the division and is widely regarded as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.

Doubt lingers over UFC future of Jones and Miocic

Although White was clear about who would be next for the winner of Aspinall and Blaydes, whether or not the fight comes to fruition is another question.

Both Jones and Miocic have suggested they are nearing permanent retirement, with a bout between the two of them hard enough to make happen.

In the meantime, Aspinall believes himself and Blaydes are the two best heavyweights right now.

“This is the fight between the two best heavyweights in the world — me and Curtis Blaydes,” he said on Thursday.

“The guy’s good everywhere. I’m not underestimating this guy. This guy is f***ing legit.”

As much as Aspinall is talking up his opponent’s chances, UFC bookmakers have the Brit as a heavy favourite going into the weekend’s interim title fight.

Bovada puts Aspinall at -400 to win, while Blaydes is an underdog at +300.

Top MMA betting sites are forecasting a stoppage result, with Aspinall returning just -163.93 to deal Blaydes his fifth knockout defeat.

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