'State of UFC heavyweight division isn't great' - Aspinall

Tom Aspinall says Curtis Blaydes is nan "ideal fight" for him if he cannot look UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

The Englishman meets American Blaydes successful a rematch of their July 2022 brushwood which saw Aspinall suffer a serious knee wounded aft conscionable 15 seconds.

Aspinall, 31, returned from that setback to go interim champion past November successful nan absence of nan injured reigning champion, Jones.

"I consciousness for illustration if I'm not fighting Jon Jones, this is nan perfect conflict for me," Aspinall told BBC Sport.

"It almost puts each that to furniture for maine aft I triumph this one.

"Even though I consciousness for illustration I've moved connected already. I've gone connected to recover, triumph fights, triumph a title since past but I consciousness for illustration it's thing I want to put down maine erstwhile and for all."

Aspinall needed an full twelvemonth to retrieve from nan knee injury.

He made short activity of Marcin Tybura successful his comeback earlier stepping successful astatine 2 weeks' announcement to conflict Sergei Pavlovich for nan interim belt.

The Manchester autochthonal has been campaigning for a conflict pinch Jones since then, but nan American champion, 36, has many times dismissed nan anticipation and says he will conflict Stipe Miocic connected his return from wounded later this year.

French erstwhile interim champion Ciryl Gane besides reportedly turned down nan opportunity to conflict Aspinall.

"The authorities of nan heavyweight section isn't great," said nan Briton. "I deliberation that's beautiful obvious. I'm present to conflict people.

"Jon Jones, astir group deliberation he's 1 of nan champion guys to ever do it. So evidently I want my chance to trial myself against him.

"He, connected nan different hand, isn't excessively keen connected it, but I'm going to support pushing for it until I either get that conflict aliases he vacates nan title and I get nan afloat type of nan title."

Aspinall-Blaydes will beryllium co-main arena astatine UFC 304. Birmingham's Leon Edwards will headline against American Belal Muhammad successful 3rd defence of his welterweight title.

The UFC person decided to make nan arena overnight for UK fans arsenic nan conflict nighttime is connected pay-per-view and nan MMA promotion do not want to miss retired connected nan American audience.

Michael Bisping's world title defence successful Manchester against Dan Henderson successful 2016 was a akin arrangement, pinch nan main arena past opening aft 05:00 BST.

Aspinall confirmed he would beryllium fighting nary earlier than 04:00 astatine Manchester's Co-op Live arena, pinch Edwards v Muhammad astir 05:30.

"It's going to beryllium a weird one," admitted Edwards.

"I've sewage capable clip to set my slumber schedule, moving my assemblage timepiece guardant an hr each time to get my assemblage utilized to performing astatine those early hours of nan morning.

"If I'm nan champion successful nan world I should beryllium capable to execute astatine 5am aliases 6pm."