Modestas Bukauskas returns to motion on Saturday at UFC 315 when he faces Ion Cutelaba and interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall performed an enormous half in his preparation regardless of having no struggle of his personal booked at any time within the close to future.
Whereas Bukauskas and the remainder of the fighters on the gymnasium are preparing for upcoming bouts, Aspinall remains to be taking part in the ready sport with hopes that he’ll finally get the prospect to unify the UFC heavyweight title with Jon Jones. Sadly, there’s nonetheless no phrase on when or if that struggle is definitely going to occur however Bukauskas praises Aspinall for all the time being there for him and the remainder of the workforce every time they want him.
“For him, I simply need him to get this struggle,” Bukauskas advised MMA Preventing. “There simply appears to be a lot stalling and negotiating and stuff like that’s occurring. Tom actually simply desires to struggle. He brazenly says he’ll struggle anybody. Clearly, the subsequent logical step is Jon Jones however he says ‘on the finish of the day, what would you like me to do?’ Clearly, it’s irritating for him. I can think about it’s very annoying however on the identical time, he can solely management what he can management. That’s what he’s doing.
“He’s within the gymnasium on a regular basis. He’s serving to guys like me and different guys which have fights arising. Simply completely superb. James Webb from our workforce simply defended his Cage Warriors belt.”
Aspinall is approaching one yr since his final look within the UFC when he defended his interim title with a blistering one-minute knockout win over Curtis Blaydes this previous July. Simply 4 months later, Jones defended his heavyweight title with a lopsided knockout win over Stipe Miocic however the UFC nonetheless hasn’t struck a deal to carry the 2 fighters collectively for a unification bout.
With {the summertime} UFC playing cards quickly filling up, it seems increasingly doubtless that Aspinall may need to attend till the autumn to get his likelihood to face Jones.
“He’s nonetheless coaching each single day however I can perceive from his viewpoint, very irritating as a result of if you’re coaching so onerous and also you’re placing in all this work, you need to have the ability to placed on exhibits,” Bukauskas mentioned about Aspinall. “I simply actually hope that all of it works out and he’ll have the ability to struggle quickly.
“As a result of I do know he’s itching to go, particularly when he’s just about in his prime, in his peak. He desires to go on the market and compete and infrequently the query is, what’s the maintain up?”
As a veteran of the sunshine heavyweight division, Bukauskas as soon as noticed Jones as his final purpose as effectively.
Jones is the longest reigning 205-pound champion in UFC historical past however now he’s devoted himself to competing at heavyweight the place he at the moment sports activities a 2-0 document.
Whereas he completely respects the resume that Jones has put collectively throughout his profession, Bukauskas warns him that he’s going to face a wholly totally different sort of animal if he lastly will get in there with Aspinall.
“I imply hear, Tom is in contrast to something that I’ve ever educated with, that I’ve ever sparred with and I do know for a reality it’s in contrast to something Jon Jones has ever fought,” Bukauskas mentioned. “Once I take into consideration Tom, I take into consideration his pace, his athleticism, his struggle IQ. It’s like all the perfect fighters on this planet, they’re considering of stuff on the go as they’re reacting and making little changes and people little changes are what provides them the ending blow. His struggle IQ is insane. He’s clearly mad quick and he’s extraordinarily explosive and athletic. These are all issues which might be in his favor.
“Jon Jones, extraordinarily technical, he’s received excellent wrestling, nice placing, good jiu-jitsu, coaching with some actually robust guys as effectively. I take nothing away from him however I simply really feel like Tom’s received these attributes as effectively and he’s received youth on his aspect. I feel he’s received an athleticism prowess that he can use in lots of areas towards Jones in that struggle. I feel lots of people will likely be stunned. I feel Tom is only a totally different sort of athlete, which is why I would like them to struggle. I would like Tom to have the ability to present the folks how good he’s.”
Regardless of the delays and lack of knowledge about when he may struggle once more, Aspinall continues coaching and getting ready for the day he’ll lastly get to settle issues with Jones within the octagon.
Bukauskas has nothing however the highest reward for Aspinall as a teammate but in addition as a result of he’s main by instance together with his dedication to point out up each single day even when his personal struggle profession is caught in limbo proper now.
“You may just about say Tom is the workforce captain alongside together with his dad,” Bukauskas mentioned. “Simply to have the ability to get little pointers right here and there and see his mindset going into fights and the way in which that he truly trains and the way in which he presents himself in sparring, it’s all superb issues that I can be taught from. It’s positively made me a greater fighter being up there with him.”
