Jones vs Miocic: Tom Aspinall back-up fighter for heavyweight title fight at UFC 309

Tom Aspinall has confirmed he is the back-up fighter for the Jon Jones v Stipe Miocic bout at UFC 309 on 16 November at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Jones defends his UFC heavyweight title against former champion Miocic, with interim champion Aspinall now installed as the replacement opponent should either man pull out.

Manchester’s Aspinall said on The Ariel Helwani Show, external a deal was done and that plans are in place for him to fight the winner.

UFC president Dana White previously said that, should the winner continue fighting, Aspinall would be the next in line to fight for the title as interim champion.

“That’s what’s happening,” Aspinall said.

“We have options in place in case one guy wants to retire, one guy wants to continue, both guys want to retire. We have all bases covered.”

American star Jones has repeatedly said he is considering retirement after his next bout while Miocic turned 42 years old last August.

A year ago Jones, 37, was forced to withdraw from fighting Miocic at UFC 295 because of injury and Aspinall stepped in to fight Sergei Pavlovich instead.

Aspinall, 31, became interim champion by stopping Pavlovich and defended the interim title against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester last July.

Asked what he thought was the most likely outcome, Aspinall said Miocic and Jones were both “probably most likely” going to retire and he would be upgraded to undisputed heavyweight champion as a result.

The UFC has never had an English undisputed heavyweight world champion and Aspinall is just the third English fighter, after Leon Edwards and Michael Bisping, to win a UFC belt.