"It's not a world championship" - Tom Aspinall weighs in on BMF title talk with Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier's UFC 318 clash inching closer

Tom Aspinall recently shared his honest opinion on the BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier at UFC 318. Although Aspinall expressed his admiration for both UFC lightweights, he politely declined to recognize the BMF belt as a legitimate world title.

Poirier is preparing to announce his retirement from MMA at UFC 318 in front of his home fans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he challenges Holloway for the BMF belt this Saturday.

Ahead of the eighth pay-per-view event, Aspinall spoke to UFC on TNT Sports and offered his thoughts on the BMF title matchup, saying:

''Do you want my honest opinion (on the title)? I mean, it’s a title but it’s not a world championship so what are we doing? These guys don’t need a title, they’re two legends of the sport, look at the name value, even look at the rankings, look at the amount of fights they’ve got, look at the shorts they’re wearing, we don’t really need a title on the line, to be honest.''

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Check out Tom Aspinall's comments below:

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Holloway wants to spoil the night for his opponent, just like he did against 'The Korean Zombie' at UFC Fight Night 225 in 2023, while Poirier is aiming to end his career on a high note. The two previously fought for the interim lightweight gold at UFC 236, where Poirier defeated Holloway via unanimous decision. In their first encounter at UFC 143 in 2012, the former 155-pound title challenger ruined Holloway's octagon debut by submitting him in the opening round.

Dana White hints at a new challenger for Tom Aspinall

Tom Aspinall, who became the new undisputed heavyweight champion last month following Jon Jones’ retirement, may face a fresh contender, according to Dana White.

This past weekend at UFC Nashville, Derrick Lewis made quick work of Tallison Teixeira. During the post-fight press conference, the UFC CEO responded as follows when asked if Lewis is one win away from title contention:

''I think that’s the way the heavyweight division has always been, I mean, these guys don’t have to cut (weight), some of them have to cut but they don’t have to cut a lot of weight. A fight can turn with one punch, whoever lands that big shot, and they were both trying to land them and he got him, I thought the stoppage was a little fast, you know, but it is what it is.''

Check out Dana White's comments below (1:07):

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena