An outsider for Aspinall could be Alex Pereira, a former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion in the UFC. The Brazilian, 37, held the middleweight belt from November 2022 until April 2023, before moving up to 205lb and holding that strap from November 2023 until this March.

The UFC heavyweight division is finally showing signs of life. With Jon Jones reportedly stepping away from the sport, a long-stalled weight class is beginning to churn forward. The 33-year-old Brazilian from Salvador has quietly become one of the most avoided problems in the UFC—just ask anyone who’s had to peel him off their back.

Tom Aspinall has issued his first statement as UFC heavyweight champion. Moments after UFC CEO Dana White dropped the bombshell Saturday that Jon Jones informed the promotion of retirement, Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) reacted with a brief message to his Instagram followers.