Mailbag: What are Tom Aspinall’s options right now? And what is the next great UFC rivalry?

Nicely, what do we now have right here, a down week in MMA?

That’s proper, of us, this weekend is without doubt one of the rarest occurrences in skilled sports activities: a Saturday with out the UFC. Provided that (and that this previous weekend’s card was as memorable as a Tuesday afternoon staff assembly), our subjects this week are largely discussions of attainable futures. So let’s get our Dr. Unusual on and dive proper in.

Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones

“Jon Jones is hiding away in Thailand taking part in with Hasbulla like he’s a child and doing something however unifying the belts. What can Tom Aspinall do, if something, to drive the UFC’s hand since they’re apparently OK with protecting him on ice ready for Jones indefinitely?”

Nothing. Tom Aspinall can do nothing to drive anybody to do something on this scenario. It’s the unhappy actuality that he faces.

With the UFC’s market energy, fighters have virtually no leverage by any means. Fighters who aren’t stars are virtually utterly beholden to the need of the UFC, however at this level, even the largest stars within the sport can’t drive the UFC’s hand. The one actual weapon any star has to wield on this battle is a refusal to combat, however that doesn’t work when the problem is getting Jon Jones to combat him within the first place. That’s like attempting to interrupt up together with your ex-girlfriend — it doesn’t work.

So Tom is functionally caught in limbo, ready for Jon to conform to combat him, for the UFC to up their supply to Jon, or for the UFC to lastly name it quits and strip Jon. And there’s nothing Tom can do about it.

That being mentioned, if I had been in Tom’s nook, I’d be telling him to do two issues. The very first thing I’d do is take a combat with another person. Each cheap particular person acknowledges Tom Aspinall is the actual heavyweight champion at this stage, so simply defend your belt. There’s no quantity of cajoling or needling you are able to do that’s going to make Jon Jones budge, so transfer on and demand the UFC offers you a combat towards whoever. And in the event you congratulate Jones on an awesome profession and a cheerful retirement, nicely, that wouldn’t be the worst concept.

And the second factor I’d do is name the UFC out over this nonsense. Aspinall is now the longest-reigning interim champion in UFC historical past and is quick approaching 600 days as interim champion. That’s an objectively horrible search for the UFC, and it’s genuinely indefensible. They’re actively hurting your legacy to kowtow to a person who could by no means combat once more. Eff that. Arise for your self. I imply, what’s the worst they will do to you, make you sit? You’re already doing that. Begin airing grievances as a result of a overwhelming majority of individuals know you’re in the fitting right here, and make them do their friggin’ jobs.

The Subsequent Nice Rivalry

“Which two fighters do you suppose will kind the subsequent nice UFC title combat rivalry?”

Man, this can be a nice query, however it additionally raised one other for me: what’s our most up-to-date nice rivalry? I assume the reply is Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, however they solely fought twice in MMA, and now it appears a 3rd (fifth?) combat won’t ever come. Nonetheless, that’s most likely the newest huge one as a result of Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland positively doesn’t rely.

Anyway, as for the subsequent nice one, I feel folks needed it to be Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, however I’m uncertain we get there. These two nonetheless could find yourself combating, however at this fee, it looks like it is going to be a one-time deal, winner-takes-all.

There’s a case for Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley, if “Suga” can pull off the upset over Merab subsequent month, however there’s additionally each likelihood that if that occurs, the UFC tries to bury Merab and shield O’Malley, so I don’t learn about that.

There are a number of attainable nice rivalries at 170 proper now, the most well liked division within the sport, however that can be too onerous to name. There are such a lot of contenders proper now its onerous to think about there being a number of repeat enterprise within the close to future. So with that in thoughts, I’m keen one into existence: Dricus du Plessis and Reinier de Ridder.

It’s no secret that I’ve been one of many greatest supporters of each DDP and RDR for a few years now, and we’re so shut to those two stunning violence weirdos getting matched up with each other. If RDR throttles Robert Whittaker later this 12 months, he’s leaping the road at middleweight, and when DDP (that’s proper, I mentioned ‘when’) beats Khamzat Chimaev, we’re all arrange for the best-worst middleweight combat you’ve ever seen. And if RDR wins, DDP has achieved sufficient to warrant a direct rematch, that means these two could nicely find yourself combating a number of occasions earlier than it’s all mentioned and achieved. Not less than, I hope.

Most More likely to Succeed

“Who do you suppose is the most probably fighter not presently ranked within the prime 5 of their division to win a belt?”

There are a number of actually good choices for this query, a lot in order that there are a number of individuals who qualify that I feel will do it. So with that in thoughts, right here’s a quick listing by weight class of individuals in competition.

Flyweight: Joshua Van — He’s 23 years previous, and superior. If he continues to enhance, he’s nicely set as much as seize a gold ultimately, although flyweight has many younger hitters coming down the pipe.

Bantamweight: Patchy Mix — That is sort of dishonest since Combine solely simply signed with the UFC and consequently doesn’t have a rating, however yeah, he’s actual good.

Featherweight: Jean Silva — I used to be enamored with “Lord” since his Contender Sequence efficiency, and nothing has modified my thoughts. Additionally, Kevin Vallejos, who’s 23 and insanely proficient, with shades of Ilia Topuria. That’s a dude to be careful for.

Lightweight: Paddy Pimblett. Ilia Topuria isn’t ranked at light-weight, so he qualifies, however setting that apart, Pimblett gained me over. I wasn’t an enormous believer in him initially, however he continues to enhance, and he’ll get loads of possibilities.

Welterweight: Ian Machado Garry. Joaquin Buckley and Michael Morales are guys I’d wager to combat for a title, however I’m much less assured of their potential to win it. Garry will get a number of hate however he’s a rattling high-quality fighter and nonetheless tremendous younger.

Middleweight: RDR — Duh. But in addition Caio Borralho is legit.

Mild Heavyweight and Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida? These weight courses are TERRIBLE.

As for the ladies’s weight courses, Mackenzie Dern is the one one who may do it, however that’s very questionable.

But when I needed to decide one “finest” choice, give me Machado Garry. I’m simply very, very sure that he’ll combat for a title at the least as soon as, and he’s a very nice fighter, in a weight class the place a number of turnover is perhaps coming.

Largest Loser

“Which present UFC champion do you suppose is most probably to lose their belt subsequent? Together with whoever you expect to win the vacant light-weight belt.”

The oddsmakers counsel it’s Julianna Peña, and I are inclined to agree. Peña defends the ladies’s bantamweight belt towards Kayla Harrison at UFC 316, and I feel she’s about to get run over.

Then, circling again to the primary query, I feel Jones is ultimately going to have to surrender the belt, so he’s fairly possible for me as nicely. The identical is perhaps mentioned of Zhang Weili, who seems headed as much as 125 subsequent, however in the interim, let’s not embody these two.

Apart from Peña, the champion I feel most probably to lose their belt within the cage subsequent is both Jack Della Maddalena or Alexander Volkanovski, relying on who defends their belt first. I’m sorry, Australia, that’s very impolite of me, however it’s how I see issues.

JDM will defend his belt towards Islam Makhachev later this 12 months, and whereas I wouldn’t wager the home on Islam, I do like his possibilities. Belal Muhammad gave Della Maddalena a tough go of it, and Islam is significantly higher than Belal. He’s one of the best fighter on the planet for a motive, and I’m giving him the advantage of the doubt.

As for Volkanovski, his win over Diego Lopes was legitimately inspiring stuff. Having the ability to get high-level wins whenever you’re previous your prime is the hallmark of true all-time greats. However that’s a high-quality line to stroll. Volkanovski doesn’t look to me like he’s in his apex kind anymore, and whereas he bought away with it towards Lopes, I don’t know the way for much longer he can stave off Father Time.

Thanks for studying and due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you could have any burning questions on issues at the least considerably associated to fight sports activities? You then’re in luck as a result of you may ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply all the great ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.