Why UFC 321 is a must-win for heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall

Why UFC 321 is a must-win for heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tom Aspinall will make the first defence of his undisputed UFC heavyweight title this weekend at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi - and while every title bout is a must-win, this one carries legacy-defining weight for the British phenom.

For the past two years, Aspinall has been strung along by former champion Jon Jones, who repeatedly sidestepped a matchup with the 32-year-old despite Aspinall's rise to interim champion status in November 2023.

The 6'5", 250-pound powerhouse from Atherton never got his shot at the throne - instead, he was handed the undisputed belt by default following Jones' retirement announcement earlier this year.

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Now, with Jones out of the picture and a high-stakes clash against Cyril Gane headlining UFC 321, the pressure on Aspinall is immense. Why? Because in MMA, perception is reality.

If Gane - in his third attempt at UFC gold - pulls off the upset, expect a social media blitz from Jones, who will undoubtedly point to his dominant win over Gane in 2023 as proof of superiority over Aspinall.

The MMA math may be flawed - Gane beating Aspinall doesn't automatically mean Jones beats Aspinall - but optics matter.

In the court of public opinion, a loss to Jones' former opponent could end the debate over who would win in a potential Jones-Aspinall super-fight.

Styles make fights, and Gane's elusive, technical striking poses challenges that Jones was uniquely equipped to handle.

But nuance rarely survives in these types of debates and if Aspinall falls short, many will see it as confirmation that Jones would have had his hand raised - ending the discussion before it was ever settled in the cage.

A win, however, keeps the conversation alive. Especially if Aspinall can get the job in his typical emphatic fashion.

Though he defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes during the chaotic Jones-UFC negotiation saga, this weekend marks his first official defence of the undisputed belt.

When looking down the heavyweight rankings, it's hard to find a matchup where Aspinall wouldn't be a heavy favourite.

He's already dismantled five top-ten contenders en route to the title, and with the record for most title defences - currently held by Stipe Miocic at three - well within reach, the path to heavyweight GOAT status is wide open.

So the equation is simple: win, and Aspinall positions himself not just as the best heavyweight of his era, but as the man who retired Jon Jones without ever fighting him.

Lose, and risk being relegated to the "flash in the pan" label that Jones has repeatedly thrown his way - all while tweeting his way out of the fight that fans still crave.