Aspinall KOs Blaydes in 60 seconds to retain UFC interim heavyweight title
Tom Aspinall knocked out Curtis Blaydes at the 1:00 mark of the first round to retain the UFC interim heavyweight title in the UFC 304 co-main event Saturday at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Aspinall dropped Blaydes with a left hand 53 seconds into the fight and then pounced on him, landing ground-and-pound shots that forced the referee to step in.
Tom Aspinall making quick work of his opponents as always in 60 seconds! Tom is the real heavyweight champ!๐๐ผ๐ @AspinallMMA @ufc #UFC304 pic.twitter.com/RZpPIzaGbw
โ Ross Edmonds (@RosssEdmonds) July 28, 2024
With the victory, Aspinall avenged his only UFC loss. Blaydes beat Aspinall in July 2022 after Aspinall suffered a knee injury 15 seconds into the bout.
"I had nothing against him personally, but we needed to put that one to bed before it was a freak accident," Aspinall said in his postfight interview. "And now I got my revenge, thank God."
Aspinall sent a message to UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones following what was a rare interim title defense. Although Aspinall holds the interim belt, Jones is expected to defend his championship against Stipe Miocic later in 2024.
"I just spoke to the boss man (UFC CEO Dana White), and who wants to see Tom Aspinall versus Jon Jones?" Aspinall said.
He added: "Hello, Jon. I have nothing against you personally, but I just think I'm better than you. I just know I can beat you in a fight. So, I'm coming for you."
Tom has a message for Jon Jones ๐#UFC304 | @AspinallMMA pic.twitter.com/rFJE5fIfn1
โ UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2024
Aspinall, who fights out of nearby Salford, England, is now riding a three-fight winning streak and is 8-1 in the UFC. Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight belt with a first-round knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last November.
Blaydes, a longtime heavyweight contender fighting for a title for the first time, falls to 1-2 in his last three Octagon outings.