Tom Aspinall earns shock 'greatest heavyweight of all time' label from revered coach ahead of Jon Jones clash
Yesterday at 02:37 PM
Just a handful of fights into his UFC career, Tom Aspinall has cemented himself as the heavyweight GOAT, according to renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi.
Firas Zahabi, longtime coach of UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, believes Tom Aspinall has surpassed Stipe Miocic as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.
Aspinall is expected to face Jon Jones in a heavyweight title unification bout next year. The UK superstar sat cage-side as Jones put on one of the most dominant performances of his career, finishing Miocic in Round 3 at UFC 309.
Aspinall, who weighed in as the UFC 309 backup, is the favorite to face Jones if the UFC can lure the lineal heavyweight champion back to the Octagon for another fight. After weeks of teasing retirement, Jones pivoted on that stance in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, although he didn’t call out Aspinall by name.
Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last year. Jones was originally set to face Miocic in the headliner before withdrawing due to injury.
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping and others have touted Aspinall as potentially the next big thing at heavyweight. While Aspinall’s accolades have already put him in high esteem, Zahabi took things a step further, crowning him as the all-time heavyweight king.
Firas Zahabi declares Tom Aspinall as the current heavyweight GOAT
In a recent breakdown on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, coach Zahabi made a bold claim about Aspinall, even before facing Jones in the Octagon.
“I think he could be the man who beats Jon Jones and finishes him,” Zahabi said of Aspinall. “I don’t think anybody can last more than two rounds with Aspinall. Nobody in the world. Now, pound-for-pound? That would be a different story. But the fact that he’s the biggest, strongest guy in the world at heavyweight, I don’t think anybody can beat him.
“A lot of people say Stipe Miocic is the greatest heavyweight of all time, no he’s not!” Zahabi continued. “He was the greatest heavyweight of all time, then Francis Ngannou dethroned him, and Ngannou proved to be the greatest heavyweight of all time. Now in my mind, unofficially, of course, it’s Tom Aspinall, the greatest heavyweight of all time…very possible [Jones] gets his lights put out.”
Jones’ lone defeat came by disqualification against Matt Hamill (illegal elbows) in 2009. The fight could potentially get switched to a no-contest after a recent change to MMA’s unified rules.
The closest Jones has come to getting finished in his career was against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165. All of Aspinall’s eight UFC wins have concluded inside two rounds, including early victories over Andrei Arlovski and Alexander Volkov.
- READ MORE:'UFC career fact check'… Jake Paul takes shot at Darren Till with Tyron Woodley fight footage
Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones fight negotiations are a hot topic heading into 2025
Aspinall remains confident the UFC will seal the deal and make the elusive Jones fight happen in 2025. But, Jones has continuously belittled Aspinall in recent weeks, hinting at a super fight with Alex Pereira as his desired return booking.
Aspinall’s lone UFC defeat came against Blaydes by injury stoppage in 2022. Since then, he’s avenged the loss to Blaydes and finished Marcin Tybura and Pavlovich.
Jones vs. Aspinall is at the top of many UFC fans’ fight wish lists as 2025 draws near. A win over Aspinall would add to Jones’ all-time GOAT case, while Aspinall has the opportunity to make history in dethroning Jones.
At 31 years old, Aspinall has already done enough to make himself the heavyweight GOAT, per Zahabi. Time will tell if Aspinall is universally deserving of Zahabi’s eye-opening praise.
