Tom
Aspinall is targeting September's UFC Paris card for a return to
the Octagon. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Fans can expect
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Tom
Aspinall back in the Octagon soon.

Aspinall has been out of action recovering from an eye injury he
suffered against Ciryl Gane
(14-2) at UFC
321 in October of last year. The bout ended in a no contest
after Gane simultaneously poked the Englishman in both eyes in the
first round. Aspinall is now gearing up for his return.

Tom Aspinall ready to fight again, but UFC relationship remains
a storyline

Aspinall (15-3) recently revealed that he is ready to fight again.
The Brit claims to have informed the promotion that he is ready to
return and is eyeing the UFC
Paris card in September.

“We’ve let the UFC know that we’re ready to go and we’re just
waiting for dates,†Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. “We’ve
just literally told them we can do it in Paris. We told them we can
do it wherever they want. So, we’re just waiting for them to let us
know. It’s down to the UFC.â€

Notably, Aspinall had a falling out with the UFC, unhappy with how
the aftermath played out and with some of Dana White's comments. He
then onboarded boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as an advisor, further
souring the relationship between himself and White.

Gane won the interim title for a second time at
UFC Freedom 250 by defeating Alex
Pereira, setting up a rematch with Aspinall. The UFC's next
event in Paris is slated for Sept. 5.

Paddy Pimblett says he would've considered retirement if he lost
at UFC 329. | 📷: Getty/UFC

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Paddy
Pimblett believes there would've been no point in continuing
his fighting career had he lost to Benoit St.
Denis.

Pimblett (24-4) took on St. Denis (17-4) in a lightweight matchup
in the co-main event of
UFC 329 on Saturday in Las Vegas. “The Baddy†had repeatedly
predicted that his French counterpart would rush for a takedown and
get choked out. It played out just as the Brit foresaw, as he
secured a quick submission in the first round to return to winning
ways.

Paddy Pimblett explains why UFC 329 loss to Benoit St. Denis
could have ended his career

Pimblett subsequently revealed that weeks before the fight, he was
wondering whether he should retire if he couldn't beat St. Denis.
He has always voiced his UFC championship aspirations and believed
his title dreams would've never materialized if he hadn't gotten
past St. Denis.

“About four weeks ago, five weeks ago, I was like, ‘If I don’t win
this fight, what’s the point in fighting anymore? I might as well
retire. If I can’t beat BSD, then what’s the point in fighting?' If
I can’t beat BSD, I’m never going to be a world champion,†Pimblett
said on the UFC's ”About Last Fight” podcast. “And that’s what I
do this for. I do this to be the best in the world. So, if I can’t
beat him, what?â€

Paddy Pimblett was inspired by Justin Gaethje's win at UFC
Freedom 250

However, the Liverpudlian found a new wave of motivation when
Justin
Gaethje defeated Ilia
Topuria in a massive upset to win the undisputed lightweight
title at
UFC Freedom 250. Coming off a hard-fought loss to Gaethje,
Pimblett felt invincible during the last two weeks of his fight
camp for UFC 329.

“And then two days later, Justin Gaethje beats Ilia Topuria. And it
was one of the biggest kicks up the ass I’ve ever had in me life,â€
Pimblett added. “Set a fire underneath me and just the last couple
of weeks of this training camp have been unbelievable. And I’m
ready to kill anyone. Put anyone in front of me and I’ll kill them.
Like, I literally could have killed Benoit St. Denis then. I had to
say to Marc, ‘Lad, he’s out. He’s unconscious.'â€

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Arman
Tsarukyan has accused Merab
Dvalishvili of delivering a sucker-punch to a man he says is

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight contender Umar
Nurmagomedov's friend.

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Arman
Tsarukyan believes it was wrong of Merab
Dvalishvili to strike a man he says is Umar
Nurmagomedov's friend.

Dvalishvili recently got into a scuffle ahead of his wrestling win
over Henry
Cejudo at RAF Georgia. He was asked about a potential wrestling
match against Nurmagomedov during the pre-fight press conference.
“The Machine†dismissed the idea, calling the Dagestani
“spoiled.â€

A friend of Nurmagomedov was a part of the contingent of
Abdulrashid Sadulaev, who lost to Kyle Snyder at RAF Georgia.
Nurmagomedov's friend allegedly confronted Dvalishvili about his
comments after the pre-fight presser. The former bantamweight
champion then struck him, leading to an all-out brawl.

Tsarukyan didn't like Dvalishvili's actions. He revealed that
Nurmagomedov's friend was only asking Dvalishvili not to be
disrespectful towards the Dagestani star. “Ahalkalakets†claims
Dvalishvili launched the sucker punch while they were still
talking.

Arman Tsarukyan slams Merab Dvalishvili, details what happened
in the aftermath

Tsarukyan believes Dvalishvili could have settled the incident by
having a conversation instead of throwing hands. The UFC
lightweight also revealed that Dvalishvili subsequently squashed
his beef with the Dagestani squad.

“The scuffle began after Merab sucker-punched the guy, who was
actually trying to say, ‘Don't talk bad about our brother while we
are here.' And Merab punched him while he was talking,†Tsarukyan
told Red Corner MMA. “From my point of view, it was wrong. They
just needed to talk and settle things down. Then, when they got
locked in that room, they started fighting one-on-one. They
squashed it and shook hands.â€

Nurmagomedov (20-1) also slammed Dvalishvili (21-5) for hitting his
friend. Nurmagomedov also questions whether Dvalishvili would have
reacted the same way if there had been no crowd to break the
fight.

“On the Caucasus, a man is defined by honor, dignity, and
hospitality,†Nurmagomedov wrote on X. “My friend only asked why
you were talking behind someone's back. I don't need to insult you
to feel like a man. Who you really are is shown when there's no
crowd and no one to step in.â€