In pro fighting, being nice is rarely seen as a strength. After witnessing years of non-stop trash talk and manufactured drama, MMA fans have come to expect a certain level of arrogance from fighters. So it’s refreshing when someone as nice as Tom Aspinall shows up.

That’s not to say Aspinall (15-3) isn’t the real deal. The towering Wiganer is, by most measures, the most dangerous man on the UFC roster right now. But if you’d only seen him speak—not the highlight reels of him turning people’s lights out—you’d never know how vicious his performances can be.

Every time he speaks to fans, journalists or even his opponents, Aspinall seems grounded, respectful and well-mannered. But with the Jon Jones (28-1) situation dragging on, there’s a growing sense that his good-guy routine might be starting to work against him.

Since steamrolling Sergei Pavlovich (19-3) in November 2023 to win the interim belt, he’s fought just once, beating Curtis Blaydes (15-3) in Manchester last July. That win avenged his earlier loss to Blaydes, when their fight in London was cut short by a knee injury in the opening seconds.

Since then, Aspinall’s been waiting around for a chance to unify the belt, but Jones still hasn’t committed to the fight, even as Dana White insists it’s going to happen.

As ever, Aspinall’s kept it professional. No drama, no public complaints. But at this point, it’s hard to deny this approach simply isn’t working.

Meanwhile, Jones has been busy doing anything but preparing for a title unification. He’s been out in Thailand filming the Russian version of The Ultimate Fighter, enjoying the break and posting vague updates on social media. One minute he’s talking about returning, the next he’s hinting at walking away.

So far, there’s been no indication that a fight with Aspinall is even on his radar. And to be perfectly honest, why would it be? Aspinall is all risk with very little upside. He’s younger, sharper, more athletic and can put anyone out with one clean shot. From Jones’ perspective, there are easier ways to round out a legacy, although his plan to fight Alex Perreira (12-3) and ride off into the sunset was nixed after the Brazilian lost to Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1).

Inside the cage, Aspinall is a problem for anyone. But if he wants the Jones fight—or even to move on and secure a match-up with Ciryl Gane (13-2)— it looks like he’s going to have to start causing problems outside of it too.

That’s because the UFC doesn’t always operate on fairness. It’s not always about merit, it’s often about noise. The ones who talk, sell, and keep themselves in the headlines tend to get what they ask for. That’s why Colby Covington stayed in the title picture for so long and, lik it or not, it’s why Conor McGregor was given so much leeway and afforded a favourable path to his double champ achievements. 

McGregor wasn’t rewarded for towing the line, he was rewarded for being a headache the UFC couldn’t ignore—something he’d earned after becoming the biggest star the sport has ever seen, to be fair. When the Irishman wasn’t happy, he made it known and threatened to walk away when he felt he wasn’t getting what he deserved. 

Aspinall, on the other hand, has spent the last nine months being polite. He’s backed the process, stayed quiet and avoided calling anyone out. He’s done it all with dignity, but sadly it doesn’t seem to be working and perhaps it’s time for a change of approach.

According to the UFC President, the organisation is supposed to offer fighters three bouts a year. Aspinall’s had one since last summer, and there’s no sign of a second.

Lately, there have been signs he’s losing patience. He’s dropped a few hints, and his dad’s gone further, calling the ongoing situation ‘stupid’ and saying the UFC needs to either make the fight or move on.

So the frustration is clearly building. But unless Aspinall goes a step further and starts pushing harder, he may end up spending even longer watching on from the sidelines.

If Aspinall wants to go down as a great, he can ill-afford to waste his prime years like this. If he wants a resolution to the predicament he’s found himself in, he’s going to have to stop being so reasonable and start making himself unavoidable.

This post was written by Darryl Rigby, Content Writer at TradeSparky

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