Morning Report | Daniel Cormier wants UFC to book Tom Aspinall’s return ASAP ‘because he is the best heavyweight in the world’

Daniel Cormier is pushing for the UFC to book Tom Aspinall's return to action as quickly as possible, calling the heavyweight champion "the best heavyweight in the world" and emphasizing his importance to the promotion. Aspinall has been largely absent from competition for nearly a year following a no-contest against Ciryl Gane, and tensions between the fighter and the UFC have escalated after Aspinall signed with manager Eddie Hearn and took issue with statements from UFC CEO Dana White. Cormier urged all parties to move past their disagreements and prioritize getting Aspinall back in the octagon. The former two-division champion also addressed speculation about Aspinall's future, cautioning fighters against chasing potentially lucrative opportunities outside the UFC. Cormier noted that while rival promotions like PFL and MVP have offered substantial short-term paydays, the UFC's ability to provide consistent top-tier compensation over multiple fights cannot be matched. He cited the example of Francis Ngannou, who earned significant money through boxing and MMA outside the promotion but questioned whether those avenues are viable for all heavyweight contenders. Aspinall has indicated interest in eventually pursuing boxing but remains under UFC contract. Rumors suggest he will face interim champion Ciryl Gane before year's end to settle their earlier contested bout and unify the heavyweight title.