Tom Aspinall has been largely unstoppable since signing with the UFC, but MMA legend Tyron Woodley has backed newcomer Gable Steveson to walk through the heavyweight champion.
The British star has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the UFC ranks thus far. Aspinall won the interim title back in 2023 after knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, before successfully defending it against Curtis Blaydes, and in doing so, avenging his only loss inside the UFC Octagon. The 33-year-old was later promoted to undisputed champion after Jon Jones relinquished the gold strap.
Aspinall has not fought since his ill-fated title defence against Ciryl Gane last October. The Salford scrapper was poked in the eyes by the Frenchman and the fight called off and deemed a no-contest just minutes into the opening round. Aspinall has since undergone surgery on both eyes but has resumed training and hopes to fight before the end of 2026.
Since Aspinall's last fight, the UFC has added to its heavyweight roster by signing the highly-talented Steveson - mentored by Jones - and is expected to make his promotional debut at July's International Fight Week event in Las Vegas - a card which could be headlined by Conor McGregor.
Steveson, 25, is only three fights into his professional career, but has already been backed to achieve great things. The undefeated star has not fought since knocking out Hugo Lezama back in February. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist could find immediate success in the cage due to his elite-level wrestling.
Jones is confident his man will become champion before the year is out, and even the fighter himself is confident he can compete with some of the top stars in the UFC's heaviest division. Former welterweight champion Woodley has confidently predicted that the young American could breeze through Aspinall right now if he wanted to.
"Gable Steveson will become heavyweight champion," Woodley told talkSPORT BET. "He can do it this year if he wants to. Tom Aspinall will get tortured by Gable right now. Tom looked sloppy against Ciryl Gane before he got poked in the eye. Gable has got powerful hands, all his fights are finishes. He has crazy wrestling, crazy athletic ability."
Woodley added: "He's hungry. You think he's still happy about losing the NCAA championship in the last three seconds? Hell no. I don't see a matchup in the UFC now at heavyweight that he does not win."
Steveson may have to wait rather patiently for his shot at the title, though, as the UFC plan on staging an interim heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Gane on the grounds of the White House on June 14 - with the winner taking on Aspinall later this year.
Providing an update on his fighting future, Aspinall said when asked on The Ariel Helwani Show if he believes he will fight this year: "I hope so, I hope so. I think so. They're giving me the indication that everything's going in the right direction and improving fast. There was a time when things were all up in the air, because we had some complications with it, but everything now is moving good, and I'm feeling a lot better. And I can really see the difference in the way the vision is, because vision is something that you use obviously – every second of every day. I'm feeling really good about it at the moment."
