Here’s what you may have missed!
MMA fighters don’t get paid by the hour. That’s especially true at Heavyweight, where performances tend to grow less and less impressive as the rounds wear on. Aspinall has found a solution to this issue: dust all of his opponents inside of six minutes.
Last night (Sat. July 22, 2023) at UFC London, Aspinall overwhelmed Marcin Tybura from pretty much the first bell. Tybura has been in the cage with former champions before, but he’s never looked so outmatched. The first shot Aspinall threw was a high kick that knocked Tybura across the cage, and from that point forward, the tone was set.
Tybura couldn’t touch Aspinall. He tried to march forward and put together combinations, but Aspinall’s feet were too quick. He would make Tybura miss on distance punches and kicks then step into his face with an elbow — that’s serious speed. Then, his first right hand of the fight ended the contest.
It only took 73 seconds.
Truthfully, there have been many Heavyweight prospects over the years who intend to get their work done inside a round and a half. Look back at Andrei Arlovski’s 2005 UFC title run, for example, which consists entirely of quick finishes. Young Heavyweights overwhelming opponents with athleticism is a well established trend.
The difference with Aspinall is that the English fighter doesn’t seem to force his attack. There is a real composure about him. He’s not at all in a hurry. Fighters who are able to relax while competing are usually better able to maintain their pace, which offers some hope that Aspinall won’t drastically drop off when brought into the third round for the first time.
The other benefit to Aspinall’s repeatedly early success is that he remains an unknown. We know that Aspinall has immense physical traits, tricky setups, and deadly jiu-jitsu. As for anything more specific, it’s all speculation! In this fight, Aspinall surprised Tybura with that opening high kick and an elbow at distance, which set up fight-finishing right hand.
Compared Aspinall to his peers like Ciryl Gane or Curtis Blaydes. There’s hours of fight footage available on both men! Their habits and weaknesses are much easier to ascertain. Aspinall has managed to break into the elite ranks by steamrolling everyone, and that gives him an advantage heading into this high-profile matches.
It’s an exciting time for the Heavyweight division, and Aspinall is a big part of that.
For complete UFC London: “Aspinall vs. Tybura” results and play-by-play, click HERE.