Watch: UFC champion Tom Aspinall’s surprise in-ring cameo with Cody Rhodes and Gunther at WWE live event

Tom Aspinall, interim UFC heavyweight champion and… pro wrestling promoter?

Aspinall jumped into the fray on Wednesday during a WWE live event in Manchester, England, sharing a spectacularly synergistic moment with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and WWE Heavyweight Champion Gunther.

Rhodes and Gunther will compete in a champion vs. champion match at the WWE Crown Jewel event on November 2nd in Saudi Arabia. Wednesday marked the second time this week that WWE’s top two men’s titles shared a ring – the first highlighted in Pen Shamrock’s first Good, Bad and Ugly column for Uncrowned.

Aspinall, a native of England, was greeted by Rhodes in the ring and received a standing ovation. And since WWE live events are rarely televised (house shows for those in the know), Gunther decided to ditch kayfabe and capture the moment TKO’s top champions share a ring together. TKO is the parent company of UFC and WWE.

“From one heavyweight champion to the next, it is a pleasure to meet you and I congratulate you on your success,” Gunther said before shaking Aspinall’s hand. “And before anyone thinks I have bad manners, Cody, let the better man win at Crown Jewel.”

As Rhodes and Gunther shook hands, Aspinall stepped in and suggested that November 2nd had been too long in coming.

“Whoa, whoa, boys, boys, boys – why wait for Crown Jewel when we can do it here and now in Manchester,” Aspinall quipped, triggering a loud bang from the audience.

Back in the US, Ariel, Petesy and the Boys in the Back found out about it and discussed it in real time, with Ariel even sending a video message to Aspinall. Not long after, Aspinall Ariel and the crew returned from the live event while watching a Randy Orton match in real time.

While Gunther and Rhodes will face off next month, Aspinall confirmed on Monday’s debut of The Ariel Helwani Show that he is the official replacement fighter for the UFC 309 main event between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, meaning he is ready and willing Step in If necessary, be available at short notice as a replacement for injured people.