Michael Bisping Hails Tom Aspinall as the Muhammad Ali of MMA in Bold Praise

Heavyweight has always been the UFC’s premier division since the promotion’s debut in 1993. Known for its raw power and explosive knockouts, the 265-pound class has produced some of the sport’s most iconic moments. In 2025, it’s clear that Tom Aspinall represents the next stage in the evolution of the heavyweight division. The reigning undisputed champion combines slick knockout power with extraordinary speed for a 250-pound fighter. He’s already finished six top-10 opponents in under a round, a record that speaks volumes about his dominance. Recently, UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping gave Aspinall an even greater compliment: comparing him to none other than Muhammad Ali, the man widely regarded as the greatest of all time.

Michael Bisping Backs Tom Aspinall as the ‘GOAT’ Ahead of UFC 321 Clash with Ciryl Gane

For the unversed, Aspinall is scheduled to face Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi in October for the first defense of his undisputed crown. The Frenchman is ready to cash in his third shot at the 265lbs title after previously coming up short against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones at UFC 270 and UFC 285, respectively. Ahead of the announcement, there was some simmering tension between the two as Aspinall claimed that Gane had been ducking him for quite some time. 

Moreover, the reigning champion has promised to get rid of Gane from the title picture altogether. Talking about their upcoming encounter, fellow Englishman Michael Bisping gave Aspinall his flowers and backed him to win against the Frenchman. In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow, the former 185lbs kingpin even compared Aspinall to Muhammad Ali and former two-division UFC kingpin Georges St-Pierre.  

He said, “Tom is gigantic, he’s big, he’s light on his feet. I always say he’s like the Muhammad Ali of mixed martial arts or a heavyweight Georges St-Pierre. I heavily, heavily lean towards Tom Aspinall in this fight. [vs. Gane at UFC 321.”

ALSO READ: Dana White Unveils Blockbuster Superfights for UFC 321 and UFC 322 PPV Cards

 

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Ali was famous for the combination of his slick footwork and the ability to get into the mind of his rivals with elite trash talk. Meanwhile, GSP was the next evolution of fighters at welterweight and was widely considered the greatest MMA fighter of all time. Moreover, this isn’t the first time Bisping has compared Aspinall to the former undisputed boxing heavyweight champion. 

Ahead of his UFC 295 interim title fight against Sergei Pavlovich, Bisping predicted that Tom Aspinall would handle the Russian with ease, and even went as far as to call him a future all-time great.

“Tom absolutely can become the best heavyweight of all time,” Bisping said. “Tom’s doing a Bisping — in terms of the short notice, but Tom’s going to surpass my career. Tom’s going to make my career look like an amateur career. Tom’s going to reign supreme in the heavyweight division for a very long time.”

He continued, “He’s faster, he’s stronger, he’s better. He’s a better wrestler. He’s got great jujitsu. He hits like a truck. He moves like Muhammad Ali. He’s humble. He’s young. He’s in his prime. And he’s from Lancashire.”

 

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Aspinall indeed made easy work of Pavlovich and knocked him out in just over a minute at UFC 295 to clinch the interim title. He last fought at UFC 304 in Manchester, where he defended his interim heavyweight strap with a dominant win over Curtis Blaydes. More recently, footage surfaced of him breaking a heavy training bag, a scary sign for Gane, who Aspinall is expected to finish in October.