UFC legend heaps bold praise on Tom Aspinall: 'Muhammad Ali is a heavyweight'

Tom Aspinall is the UFC heavyweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/UFC India

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Tom Aspinall is highly regarded by the big names in the UFC. Hall of Famer Michael Bisping even compared the Englishman to Muhammad Ali. According to the former middleweight champion (up to 83,9kg), the lightness and agility of the current heavyweight champion (up to 120,2kg) put him on par with the legendary boxer.

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In a recent interview with the American website 'Bloody Elbow', Michael Bisping was asked about the fight between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane , scheduled for the end of October. In response, the UFC commentator heaped praise on the Englishman.

“ Tom Aspinall is gigantic… He’s big, light-footed, knows how to move. I always say he’s like a heavyweight Muhammad Ali, or a mixed martial arts Muhammad Ali, or a heavyweight Georges St-Pierre. He knows how to grapple, he knows how to do everything. And we saw what happened with Cyril Gane against Jon Jones ,” Bisping told Bloody Elbow.

Tom Aspinall faces Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall will defend his undisputed heavyweight title for the first time at UFC 321. The fight will be the main event of the numbered card, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on October 25th. The Frenchman is ranked number one.

Tom Aspinall became the champion of the UFC's most prestigious division after Jon Jones ' retirement was announced at the end of June. At a UFC Baku press conference , Dana White himself revealed 'Bones' retirement and announced Aspinall as the new undisputed heavyweight champion. According to the UFC president, the decision was communicated by Jon Jones himself via a phone call.

Tom Aspinall x Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane face off at UFC 321. Photo: SUPER LUTAS montage

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The 32-year-old Briton has had a meteoric rise in the heavyweight division, with eight wins in nine UFC fights, all by knockout or submission. He inherited the undisputed title after Jon Jones ' retirement , in a decision that ended a wait of more than a year for a real title fight.

Gane, 35, is ranked number one in the division and will be making his third attempt to win the undisputed title, after losses to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones . Despite coming off a controversial loss to Alexander Volkov in December 2024, considered controversial even by Dana White, the Frenchman was chosen for the fight.

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