Modestas Bukauskas is set to compete at UFC 315 against Ion Cutelaba. His preparation significantly involved interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, even though Aspinall currently lacks a scheduled bout in the near future.
While Aspinall`s teammates are getting ready for upcoming fights, he`s still waiting for a chance to unify the UFC heavyweight title with Jon Jones. The timeline for this potential clash remains unclear, but Bukauskas commends Aspinall`s consistent support for him and the rest of their team whenever needed.
Bukauskas expressed his hope for Aspinall to secure this fight, noting the significant delays and negotiations involved. “Tom just wants to fight,” Bukauskas stated. “He openly says he’ll fight anyone. Obviously, the next logical step is Jon Jones.” He acknowledged Aspinall`s frustration but highlighted his teammate`s focus on controlling what he can.
Aspinall demonstrates this by being in the gym daily, assisting teammates like Bukauskas who have bouts approaching. Bukauskas also mentioned James Webb from their team recently defending his Cage Warriors title.
It`s been nearly a year since Aspinall`s last Octagon appearance, a swift one-minute knockout win over Curtis Blaydes last July that secured the interim title. Four months later, Jones defended his heavyweight belt with a dominant knockout of Stipe Miocic, yet the UFC hasn`t finalized a matchup to unify the titles.
With the summer UFC schedule rapidly filling up, it seems increasingly probable that Aspinall may have to wait until the fall for his shot at Jones.
Bukauskas understands Aspinall`s frustration: “When you`re training so hard and you`re putting in all this work, you want to be able to put on shows.” He hopes the situation resolves soon so Aspinall can compete.
“He`s itching to go, especially when he`s pretty much in his prime, in his peak,” Bukauskas added, highlighting Aspinall`s strong desire to compete. The common question, he noted, is “what`s the hold up?”
As a light heavyweight veteran himself, Bukauskas once viewed challenging Jones as a potential ultimate goal.
Jones holds the record for the longest reign as the 205-pound champion but has since transitioned to heavyweight, where he holds a 2-0 record.
While respecting Jones`s impressive career accomplishments, Bukauskas cautioned that Aspinall presents a unique challenge unlike anything Jones has faced before.
“Tom is unlike anything that I’ve ever trained with, that I’ve ever sparred with,” Bukauskas stated, asserting he`s “unlike anything Jon Jones has ever fought.” He praised Aspinall`s speed, athleticism, and “insane” fight IQ, noting his ability to make adjustments mid-fight that lead to finishes. He described Aspinall as “mad fast,” “extremely explosive,” and athletic, seeing these as key advantages.
Acknowledging Jones`s technical skill, strong wrestling, striking, jiu-jitsu, and high-level training partners, Bukauskas emphasized, “I take nothing away from him.” However, he believes Tom possesses similar attributes plus youth and superior athleticism that he can leverage effectively against Jones. He predicted many would be surprised and wants Aspinall to get the fight to demonstrate his abilities as a “different kind of athlete.”
Despite the ongoing delays and uncertainty surrounding the potential fight, Aspinall continues his rigorous training and preparation for the eventual showdown with Jones.
Bukauskas expressed the highest praise for Aspinall not only as a teammate but also as a leader who sets an example through his dedication, consistently showing up and training hard despite his own fight career being in limbo.
“You can pretty much say Tom is the team captain along with his dad,” Bukauskas remarked. He highlighted the value of getting pointers, observing Aspinall`s mindset, training methods, and sparring approach, calling them “all amazing things that I can learn from.” He concluded that training alongside Aspinall has “definitely made me a better fighter.”
