WASHINGTON – Daniel Cormier doesn’t want to see heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall falling out with the UFC.
With Aspinall sidelined after double eye surgery, Alex Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) and Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will battle for the interim heavyweight belt in Sunday’s UFC Freedom 250 (Paramount+) co-main event at the White House.
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The winner is expected to unify the belt with Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), although Eddie Hearn has said his client won’t fight under his current UFC deal.
“We need Tom Aspinall on the same page as the UFC because this is where the best heavyweights in the world fight,” Cormier said during Wednesday’s UFC Freedom 250 media day. “And Tom Aspinall is one of the best heavyweights – Tom Aspinall is the best heavyweight in the world because he’s the world champion, and you want the world champion fighting.
“So yeah, it’s very important for Tom Aspinall and the UFC to get on the same page, and I can’t wait for it because every time Tom Aspinall fights, it’s amazing, and it’s fun, and he’s just a beast. To have a new interim champion after this weekend, who will take all of that shine from headlining, co-headlining the White House, it would be an amazing time to watch. So yeah, they need to get on the same page.”
White scoffed at Hearn’s “pretty stupid” remarks. Aspinall is yet to be cleared for sparring after accidental eye pokes by Gane resulted in their October UFC 321 title fight being no contest.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Daniel Cormier hopes Tom Aspinall, UFC ‘get on the same page’
