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<\/p>\nTom Aspinall wants to make his \u2018dream fight\u2019 next <\/p>\n
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Tom Aspinall wants to fight UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones next after claiming the interim title with his first-round victory against Sergei Pavlovich on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
The main event of UFC 295 was due to see Jones defend his heavyweight belt against divisional great Stipe Miocic, but that bout was cancelled on two weeks\u2019 notice after Jones suffered an injury in training.<\/p>\n
With Jones, 36, set to face eight months on the sidelines, the UFC pitted Aspinall against Pavlovich to crown an interim champion, and it was the Briton who triumphed at Madison Square Garden to become the third British champion in UFC history.<\/p>\n
Aspinall, who admitted to being \u201cscared\u201d ahead of his fight with the Russian, caught Pavlovich with two clean right hands in the first round, wobbling him with the first and dropping him with the second.<\/p>\n
And the Wigan fighter, 30, who could be elevated to regular champion in Jones\u2019s absence, said he now wants the \u201cdream fight\u201d against the American great.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now I want to take a little break,\u201d he told UFC.com. \u201cI don\u2019t want to fight again this year. I\u2019ve had enough of this nerves thing and pressure. I want a little bit of time off.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to fight Jon Jones. I know there\u2019s a lot of contenders coming up at the moment, but I want to fight Jon Jones. That\u2019s my goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s in my opinion one of top two greatest ever with GSP [Georges St-Pierre]. I want to test myself against him before my career is over and more importantly before his career is over. He\u2019s coming to the end and I\u2019m just getting started. That\u2019s the fight I want, definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is as yet unclear whether Aspinall will fight Jones next, or whether the UFC will rebook Jones versus 41-year-old Miocic. In that case, Aspinall would potentially have to defend the interim belt in the meantime. However, there is also a belief that Aspinall could be elevated to regular champion in Jones\u2019s absence.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t even tell you, it\u2019s been a crazy two-and-a-half weeks,\u201d Aspinall said after his win, having fought through a bout of tears. \u201cOh, my God. I just want to say to everyone at home: Listen, if you ever get the chance to do something, and you\u2019re scared to do it, you should f***ing definitely do it, because there\u2019s a chance it\u2019s gonna pay off.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a big, scary guy. I\u2019ve never been as scared in my life as fighting this guy, but I\u2019ve got a lot of power, too. And I believe in myself, I really believe in myself. I\u2019ve worked so hard over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n