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Tom Aspinall Has a Ruthless Goal—And It Involves the Entire Heavyweight Top 10

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated Jul 3, 2025 6:02 PM ET

Things are finally beginning to come into focus for Tom Aspinall and the heavyweight division. With the retirement of Jon Jones now firmly in the rearview mirror, the crown has shifted. A new era is taking shape, and it’s clear who intends to lead it. The newly crowned heavyweight king isn’t looking to protect his throne—he’s out to conquer everyone in his path.

In a recent interview shared by Red Corner MMA via One on One MMA, Aspinall didn’t mince words. He laid out a straightforward but bold goal for the next 12 months.

‘I'd like to do 4 [fights] in the next 12 months. If you look at the top ten, I have beaten 6 of them. My goal is to beat ten of the top ten. I wanna beat all ten.’

It would be a rare accomplishment to defeat every fighter currently ranked in the UFC heavyweight Top 10. While it’s a lofty goal, Aspinall seems to have a practical path in mind, and the names left on his list are already taking shape.

Tom Aspinall says he’d like to clean out the top ten in the next 12 months

"I'd like to do 4 [fights] in the next 12 months. If you look at the top ten, I have beaten 6 of them. My goal is to beat ten of the top ten. I wanna beat all ten."

(via: One on One MMA) pic.twitter.com/GzlBmeobCS
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) July 3, 2025

The rumored next stop is Ciryl Gane—the slick, elusive No. 1 contender many believe would be Aspinall’s toughest test. Then there’s Jailton Almeida (No. 5), a dangerous grappler with something to prove, and Waldo Cortes-Acosta (No. 6), who’s been quietly climbing the ladder.

Derrick Lewis (No. 9) is still in the mix and fights next week at UFC Nashville, and Tai Tuivasa (No. 10) could be another fun clash—despite admitting to Ariel Helwani in April that he’s pushing 300 pounds. Each name presents a different kind of puzzle, and Aspinall seems ready to solve them all.

It’s an ambitious campaign—and if Aspinall pulls it off, it could be one of the most dominant title runs in UFC heavyweight history.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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