Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson has praised interim heavyweight champiuon Tom Aspinall ahead of the Englishman’s title defence at UFC 304, and said that the Brit has the game to defeat and dethrone current heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
Gustafsson shared the Octagon with Jones twice during their time as rivals at the top of the UFC light heavyweight division. And, while Gustafsson’s respect for Jones remains, he said that he sees a matchup between Jones and Aspinall going the way of the Englishman.
“Aspinall is on fire right now and he is a very, very good heavyweight,” he said in an interview for Top Offshore Casinos.
“I don’t see anyone beating Aspinall right now. I understand why Tom wants to fight Jon, it’s because Jon is the GOAT, he is the biggest UFC star right now. If Tom was to beat Jon it would be bigger than winning any UFC belt. The biggest achievement in the UFC right now is to beat Jon Jones. I understand why Aspinall is chasing the fight.
“I think he is ready for Jon. He’s on fire right now. If he fights Jon Jones it should be now.”
Gustafsson says Aspinall can topple Jones
And, while Aspinall has business to take care of in the co-main event of UFC 304 in Manchester this weekend, Gustafsson said that he’d back Aspinall to go on and defeat Jones if they eventually met in a title unification bout further down the line.
“Yes, I think Tom will be too much for Jon,” the Swedish MMA icon stated.
“He has all the weapons to beat Jon. Jon hasn’t been that active, but he’s still the GOAT. You can never count this guy out, he’s so freaking good at what he does. He’s handled every opponent and everybody knows how good he is.
“But Aspinall right now, I see him as very dangerous for Jon right now. He’s dangerous on his feet, he’s fast, he has great footwork and he’s a smart fighter. He has the tools to do good against Jon and even beat him.
“If they will fight, now is the time for Aspinall. He could go down as one of the best heavyweights ever.”
While he favours Aspinall to defeat Jones, Gustafsson was more confident in Jones’ ability to defeat fellow legend Stipe Miocic in their planned matchup for later this year.
“I like Stipe a lot, he’s a great heavyweight, but it’s hard to see him beating Jones,” he admitted.
“Stipe has done more than most heavyweights in the division, but I have a hard time seeing Stipe beating Jones.”
Gustafsson offers advice over late-night fight timings
Gustafsson also shared some of his experiences of fighting in the early hours of the morning, and offered some words of advice to the UK’s two defending champions ahead of fight night in Manchester.
“Everyone reacts differently to fighting in the early hours of the morning,” he explained.
“I did the last part of my camp during the early hours at the same time I would be fighting.
“I’d have a session early in the evening and then a session in the early morning. Your body and mind gets used to working in those hours. It was a bit of a struggle to begin with but you get used to it.
“When I stepped in, I didn’t think about it at all. It was a crazy atmosphere. It was fully packed, 4 o’clock in the morning and it was packed, it was one of the biggest stages in Sweden. It was an unreal experience because no one believed we’d fill the arena with fans at that time of the morning.
“Everyone was going crazy, it was an unreal and amazing experience. The timing brought something different in some weird way. You felt it – it wasn’t a regular fight night – people were on fire, they were crazy, it was special.
“My short advice to Tom and Leon is not to analyse it too much, it is what it is. Just make the best of it and act like you’re working out at the regular time.”
