Archive May 21, 2025

Tom Aspinall says it is “difficult mentally” waiting for a UFC undisputed heavyweight title bout with Jon Jones.

Britain’s Aspinall, 32, has been the interim champion since November 2023 and last fought in July, defending his belt against Curtis Blaydes.

American Jones beat Stipe Miocic in November to defend his championship but a unification bout with Aspinall is yet to be scheduled by the UFC.

Aspinall says the wait to fight Jones has been “trickier” than the year he spent out injured after seriously injuring his knee in 2023.

“Now, I’ve been almost a year inactive with no prospects of anything apart from wait,” Aspinall said on Demetrious’ Johnson’s podcast.

“I constantly had little goals to work towards [during recovery from injury]. Whereas now it’s just like: ‘Just be ready and we’ll just let you know.’

Aspinall beat Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023 to become interim champion when Jones pulled out of his original bout with Miocic because of injury.

But rather than pair Jones up with Aspinall when the American recovered, the promotion rebooked the fight with Miocic in November.

UFC president Dana White has said previously he is confident of making the bout between Jones and Aspinall, which would be the “biggest heavyweight fight in the promotion’s history”.

Aspinall has called for the fight to be set up on multiple occasions but Jones has been less forthcoming on the prospect.

This week the 37-year-old, who is also a former light-heavyweight champion, jousted online with fans who were goading him about Aspinall.

He added: “I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. I have no clue why they haven’t shared them with you guys yet.”

Aspinall has won eight of nine UFC bouts since his debut in 2020 and holds multiple records in the heavyweight division.

Jones holds the record for the most title fight wins in the promotion’s history, with 16 – and is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Despite frustration at waiting on the sidelines, Aspinall says he can empathise with Jones’ position.

He added: “I get it. I get it. It’s just about the title for me.

“I just want the title, that’s it. Nothing else really matters. So I get it completely, get his point of view, get what everybody’s saying, completely understand. I just want to prove I’m the best, that’s all.”

With the organisation’s main events on their flagship numbered shows booked until UFC 319 on 16 August, the earliest Jones and Aspinall could realistically fight is at UFC 320 in Guadalajara, Mexico on 13 September.

Barry Ferguson had repeatedly called for clarity about his Rangers future. The interim manager did eventually have those calls answered over the weekend, but perhaps not in the way he’d hoped.

Now clarity is needed about who will be the next permanent Ibrox manager.

For all the noise and chatter about the likes Steven Gerrard, Russell Martin and Davide Ancelotti, there is no sign yet that a deal has been agreed.

Rangers’ stance remains that there is no preferred candidate but whoever it is will have a sizeable task that needs started yesterday.

Eh, maybe. Rumours were rife on Monday that he had been spotted at Cameron House on the banks of Loch Lomond.

A few days away or a sign of his impending return? Have the Saudi tax complications that were previously cited as a stumbling block now gone away?

The plot thickened when a man suggested to be “Gerrard’s Glasgow barber” posted a picture on Instagram of the gates of Rangers’ training centre.

Was the former England midfielder inside and about to get his hair nicely pruned in preparation of a new set of scarf-holding pictures?

Absolutely, said some. Utter nonsense, suggested others. It’s an old photo.

What is known for sure is that Rangers are looking for a new manager.

But where do the club’s prospective new owners – an American consortium involving Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises Global Football Group – and sporting director-in-waiting Kevin Thelwell fit into that?

It would seem hugely unlikely that they would not have a voice in the conversation, even if the latter is officially still employed by Everton.

Former Leeds sporting director Gretar Steinsson is the 49s football expert and will surely have views of his own about who should lead Rangers next term.

This is the crucial question that some more romantic Rangers fans may overlook in favour of dwelling on past success.

Gerrard’s trophy ratio at Ibrox was one from a possible nine before he departed for Aston Villa. The one was seismic, though, stopping Celtic from becoming the first Scottish club to claim 10 titles in a row.

That triumph endeared the former Liverpool captain to a large swathe of the support for eternity in itself.

And the fact he’s box office on a global scale – and spent the latter part of his career with LA Galaxy in the United States – will presumably also be eye-catching to the prospective new American owners.

However, in the cold light of day, Gerrard’s Ibrox trophy rate would not be an acceptable second time round.

And his record at Villa and, most recently, at Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, makes far from convincing reading.

Furthermore, the one thing that seemed to prompt his departure from Ibrox – outside the lure of an English Premier League position – was the idea that he wasn’t backed to the extent he wanted after delivering the Premiership title.

The quote in the immediate aftermath of that was “we have to fix the roof now the sun is shining”.

Rangers didn’t, or couldn’t, and Gerrard was gone as Celtic re-asserted their grip on domestic silverware.

A coaching ticket that has been mooted to include former Rangers midfielder Steven Davis and ex-England midfielder Jordan Henderson for a start.

But no mention of ertwhile assistant Michael Beale, who stepped up to replace Gerrard with scant success.

What he would also bring, according to former Rangers striker Kris Boyd, is a better understanding of what the role requires.

“Rangers need to get someone who understands it, gets it, can deal with the pressure and demands,” Boyd told Sky Sports.

“The fans expect you to win. You need someone who can deal with the pressures every single day. Carry the burden of the football club and take it forward.

“Steven has shown he can do that. He’s had it all his life. He ticks a lot of boxes.”

One thing Gerrard also brings is respect and widespread recognition, something that would attract players who may otherwise not consider Rangers or Scotland as a destination.

Just how would a reunion be received by the people that really matter? We asked Rangers fans and the response was a mixed bag…

Caroline: “I always admired Steven for the way he went about it. When he left, I’m sure it was because he didn’t have the backing of the board. This man deserves the opportunity to mould the team he knows will be a winning team.”

Darren: “I would certainly back the return of Gerrard. Yes, it was disappointing the way he left but he was lured by the best league in the world. He made Rangers a force again after years in the wilderness and I’d back him to do it again.”

Pete: “I would be okay with Gerrard being back at Ibrox, but still very disappointed that Barry Ferguson and his staff were not given the job to add to the passion he managed to get from a lot of sub-standard players he inherited.”

Chris: “No, no, no! Gerrard has done nothing since he left us in the lurch for Aston Villa and what a good job he did there. He is not a true Rangers man and never will be. I’d sooner have Ange Postecoglou if Spurs sack him than Gerrard.”

Bob: “He has failed at every job since he won our title. Why bring a failure back? I would have been happier with Giovanni van Bronckhorst coming back. Happier still if they had stuck with Ferguson and co.”