"He can have his time" - Tom Aspinall makes massive claim about vacating heavyweight title under this one condition 

Tom Aspinall (pictured) is set to fight Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. [Image courtesy: Getty Images]
Tom Aspinall (pictured) is set to fight Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. [Image courtesy: Getty Images]

As much as the UFC heavyweight title means to him, Tom Aspinall has no intentions of defending it if it means shattering his training partner's dreams.

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During an appearance on the ShxtsnGigs podcast, the heavyweight kingpin stated that he would vacate the belt if his friend and training partner Ante Delija earns himself a title shot. Elaborating on the topic, Aspinall said:

"My friend and training partner just got to the UFC. He just got his first win and now he's in the top 10. To get your first win in, you just beat a guy in the top 10! So, he's potentially two or three wins away from a title shot. So, the thing is, if I had never won a title, I had never touched gold before, I would be like, 'We would have to fight because that's my dream.' Yeah, but now I've done it, I would be like, 'I'll vacate it and he can have his time.' I wouldn't fight him. No chance."
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Aspinall, however, realizes he has enough time to solidify his legacy before Delija climbs up the ranks:

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"I've got a few more in me before he is going to be up there anyway. So, I've still got more to do, but I can do that in the time that he takes climbing [the ranks], and when he's there, I'm happy to [step aside]."
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Check out Tom Aspinall's comments below:

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Delija made his promotional debut in style. At UFC Paris, the 35-year-old scored a first-round knockout win over the then No.7-ranked Marcin Tybura. 'Walking Trouble' now occupies the No.9 spot on the heavyweight ladder.


Tom Aspinall gets 100% real about pre-fight nerves

It appears not even the best fighters in the world are free from pre-fight jitters. As Tom Aspinall sees it, the nerves before a fight only get worse as one's career progresses.

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Later in the podcast segment, the Briton explained why he has felt increasingly anxious before his fights as the stakes have grown higher and the spotlight brighter, and how he handles them:

"Every fight gets worse, honestly, because there's more at stake. Every time I'm in there, there's more at stake. There are more eyes; we got a world title on the line this time. There's a lot of money. There's everything's on the line. There are literally millions of people watching me. But, do you know what? I just love it. I've really come to peace with that. I've really realized that fear can just help you so much." [13:35 minutes into the interview]

Aspinall will next be seen at UFC 321, where he'll defend the heavyweight title against two-time challenger Ciryl Gane.

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Edited by Ujwal Jain
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