Tom Aspinall, the interim UFC heavyweight champion, has been appointed as the backup fighter for the upcoming match between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. This was announced by UFC president Dana White.
White said at the press conference:
Will Aspinall be the backup for this fight? Yes. Tom Aspinall is next in line for anything that happens after this fight.
The heavyweight title fight between Jones and Miocic is set to headline UFC 309, scheduled for November 17 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Miocic last fought in the octagon in March 2021 at UFC 260, where he lost by knockout to Francis Ngannou in the second round. His record stands at 20 wins and four losses.
Jones last competed in March 2023 at UFC 285, defeating Ciryl Gane via submission in the first round. He holds a record of 27 wins and one loss.