New York - Tom Aspinall, the newly crowned UFC interim heavyweight champion, is hoping that his impressive victory at UFC 295 will persuade Jon Jones, the reigning champ, to grant him a dream fight. Aspinall claimed the interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in just 69 seconds at Madison Square Garden, earning high praise from Jones on social media.

Jones took to Twitter to congratulate Aspinall, saying, "Tom congratulations on the interim heavyweight championship belt! That was an awesome performance!" The acknowledgment from Jones, a highly respected figure in the sport, meant a lot to Aspinall, who expressed his admiration for the champion.

With the customary practice of the interim champ unifying with the reigning champ, it seems unlikely to happen next in this case. Jones had been scheduled to defend his belt against former champ Stipe Miocic in the UFC 295 headliner but withdrew due to a shoulder injury that is expected to sideline him for at least eight months. UFC CEO Dana White has stated that the fight between Jones and Miocic will take place once Jones is ready.

Jones' withdrawal opened the door for Aspinall to seize the opportunity and accept an interim title fight against Pavlovich, who had been training as the Jones vs. Miocic backup, on just two weeks' notice. Now that he holds a piece of the heavyweight title, Aspinall made a plea to Jones, fueled by the champion's post-fight praise.

In a post-fight news conference, Aspinall expressed his gratitude towards Jones and his desire for a dream fight, saying, "Yeah, thank you, Jon. Just give me the opportunity, Jon. Let me do it. Give me my dream fight. Why not? I've just achieved my dream now. Give me my dream fight. Let me fight for my legacy now please."

Aspinall, known for his impressive record of 14-3 in MMA and a 7-1 record in the UFC, is undoubtedly a worthy challenger to Jones. His only loss in the UFC was due to a knee injury against Curtis Blaydes in July 2022. Since making his return in July, Aspinall has displayed remarkable skill, defeating Marcin Tybura by first-round TKO.

Despite pulling a back muscle during training for UFC 295, Aspinall is determined to relish his victory and make the most of his title reign. However, if he wants a shot at fighting Jones, he might have to wait for up to a year. Aspinall expressed his reluctance to wait but stated that he is willing to do so if it means getting his dream fight with Jones.

"No, I don't want to wait a year. I definitely don't want to wait a year. I think that me and Jones is the fight to make, to be honest. If I have to wait a year, I will. That's the fight I really, really want. And I think that me and Jon in the U.K., that's just a dream for everybody. The UFC, fans, everybody will love that," Aspinall affirmed.

Aspinall's plea for a fight with Jones has ignited excitement among fans and the UFC community. If the stars align, the clash between Aspinall and Jones would undoubtedly be a highly anticipated showdown. For now, Aspinall will take some time to savor his victory, but his eyes remain firmly fixed on securing the dream fight of a lifetime.

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