Tag: tom aspinall

Tom Aspinall Proposes Mixed-Rules Bout For Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou Clash

Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou, Tom AspinallUFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall believes that Tyson Fury should take on Francis Ngannou in a mixed-rules contest. Taking a page from ONE Championship‘s playbook, Fury’s former teammate Tom Aspinall suggested a hybrid ruleset for the crossover fight. Aspinall proposed the idea of having rules change between rounds much like the recent MMA/Muay Thai showdown between […]

Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou, Tom Aspinall

UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall believes that Tyson Fury should take on Francis Ngannou in a mixed-rules contest.

Taking a page from ONE Championship‘s playbook, Fury’s former teammate Tom Aspinall suggested a hybrid ruleset for the crossover fight. Aspinall proposed the idea of having rules change between rounds much like the recent MMA/Muay Thai showdown between Rodtang and Demetrious Johnson at ONE X.

Tom Aspinall recommends mixed-rules for Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou

Following Fury’s latest win over Dillian Whyte, Francis Ngannou walked into the ring as the pair promoted the idea of the possible megafight. One major sticking point in regard to their matchup has been the ruleset that would be utilized for such a unique showing.

To his credit, Fury has expressed his willingness to wear MMA gloves which are considerably smaller in size than the traditional boxing mitts but hasn’t spoken about much of a change in the standard boxing rules.

According to rising contender Aspinall, a match like the Rodtang-Johnson one, where the rules changed from MMA to Muay-Thai between rounds, would make more sense for Fury’s clash with Ngannou. Having just one sport dictate the rules can heavily skew the odds against the other sportsman.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Tom Aspinall recommended ways how to make the crossover fight work. Aspinall suggested the addition of a new technique from MMA as the rounds progressed.

“Little gloves, for sure, and five-minute rounds, that would definitely make it a little bit even. I think they should do first round boxing only. Second round, maybe, boxing and low kicks.

“And third round, I don’t know, boxing, low kicks, and clinching. I think something like that would make it a bit more even.”

Aspinall talked about how Fury has trained grappling in the past with other MMA stars like Darren Till at the gym.

“I’ve grappled with him [Fury] before,” Aspinall explained. “He’s interested in it. So, I know he’s done bits of grappling, bits of kicks, and all that. He was down in our gym training with Darren Till before, doing kicks on the pads and all that stuff. So, he’s definitely got interest in it. I don’t know. I’d love to see it, though.” (h/t Mirror)

Ngannou has been in a deadlock with the UFC regarding the terms of his next contract. If the heavyweight king chooses not to resign with the promotion, ‘The Predator’ could become a free agent next year to make the fight with Fury happen.

EXCLUSIVE: Jairzinho Rozenstruik Previews Fight With Alexander Volkov, Talks Aspinall vs. Blaydes & Jon Jones-Stipe Miocic Title Fight

Jairzinho RozenstruikUFC heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik will headline UFC Fight Night 207 against Alexander Volkov this June 4. In an interview with LowKick MMA, Rozenstruik shared his thoughts on his upcoming match against Volkov. ‘Bigi Boy’ believes the fight will mostly be on the feet and any error in the cage will lead to a quick finish. […]

Jairzinho Rozenstruik

UFC heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik will headline UFC Fight Night 207 against Alexander Volkov this June 4.

In an interview with LowKick MMA, Rozenstruik shared his thoughts on his upcoming match against Volkov. ‘Bigi Boy’ believes the fight will mostly be on the feet and any error in the cage will lead to a quick finish.

“I think it can be a stand-up fight because he’s also a striker. I know he has some jiu-jitsu but mostly I think is going to be stand-up. Yeah, we’re going to see how it plays out. Of course, I’m looking for a win,” Rozenstruik continued, “When I see him, I’ll be there. He’s a big guy, he’s a big tree so I’ll be more moving, finding my angles and try to land what I can land and then see how he reacts. But I would say any error, any mistakes you’re out”

James Lynch probed the Surinamese fighter about Tom Aspinall’s recent win over Volkov and whether he was surprised about that.

“Actually I think it was expectable that Tom is good but I didn’t expect it to be so early in the match. So, I was surprised about that.”

The knockout artist gave props to Aspinall and speculated what might have led to Volkov’s loss. “I think maybe he’s (Aspinall) that excellent,” Rozenstruik added. “It’s the moment, it’s the time you had the fight, you don’t know what happened. Anything can happen.”

Jairzinho Rozenstruik on Aspinall v. Blaydes

Coming off a loss to Curtis Blaydes, Jairzinho Rozenstruik will fight against an opponent who was defeated by Blaydes’s next adversary, Aspinall. With the top and rising heavyweights being matched up against each other, Rozenstruik is excited to see how things play out.

“I think it’s a pretty good matchup. I know those fights are going to come, same as the fight with Ciryl Gane and Tuivasa. The whole heavyweight division is kinda booked so it’s going to be awesome after all these fights so we know where we stand and who we going to face after this.”

The 34-year-old does not seem to be concerned with who wins the contest and is ready to take on whoever comes out on top.

“I don’t really care who wins. For me, the most important thing is who I’m going to face after this. If it’s going to be him or Blaydes or somebody else. I hope it play out good for them and then I face one of them after.”

Jairzinho Rozenstruik on Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

When Jon Jones announced his move to heavyweight over two years ago, fans were excited to see the greatest mixed martial artist compete against the big boys. There have been strong indications suggesting Jones will take on the greatest heavyweight of all-time in the UFC, Stipe Miocic, in his debut fight in the division.

While Jairzinho Rozenstruik believes the fight makes sense for the fans, he shared his discontent with the possibility of it being for the interim UFC heavyweight title.

“I definitely think it’s the fight to make for the fans,” he said. “But I disagree with him coming in and fighting for the title because we’ve been there running the division. He doesn’t, he was on the side sitting and saying he’s coming to heavyweight. At first, I was motivated that he’s coming to heavyweight, it can be a possible fight. It takes so long, what two years, two years and a half. So I kinda disagree with that that he wasn’t fighting doing anything and he jumped right in for the title.”

Do you want to see Jairzinho Rozenstruik take on Jon Jones in the future?

Aspinall: Blaydes Is Stylistically The Toughest Fight In The Division For Me

UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall is expecting to be in the toughest matchup possible when he returns to action against Curtis Blaydes this summer. In just five fights, Aspinall has grown from a promising prospect to a bonafide contender in the UFC’s heaviest weight class. After impressive finishes of Jake Collier, Alan Baudot, and former champion…

Continue Reading Aspinall: Blaydes Is Stylistically The Toughest Fight In The Division For Me at MMA News.

UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall is expecting to be in the toughest matchup possible when he returns to action against Curtis Blaydes this summer.

In just five fights, Aspinall has grown from a promising prospect to a bonafide contender in the UFC’s heaviest weight class. After impressive finishes of Jake Collier, Alan Baudot, and former champion Andrei Arlovski established his name in the Octagon, his most recent appearances have cemented his place high up the ladder.

First came a co-main event TKO of Sergey Spivak at UFC Vegas 36 last September. When that secured him a steep step-up in competition, the Manchester native was unfazed. Headlining the UFC’s first trip to London since 2019, Aspinall thrilled his home crowd by submitting former Bellator titleholder and six-time UFC main-eventer Alexander Volkov.

Now, as he prepares for a second consecutive main event in front of his adoring home fans, Aspinall is fully aware of the challenge in front of him.

Aspinall Relishes “Toughest” Challenge Blaydes

On July 23, the UFC will be returning to The O2 in London for its second UK-held card of the year. Among the many returning victors from the March 19 card will be Aspinall, who will be at the very top of the slate, where he’s been matched up with #4-ranked heavyweight Curtis Blaydes.

During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Aspinall suggested that Blaydes, who is renowned for his impressive wrestling abilities and improving standup game, is the toughest opponent in the division for him when it comes to style.

“Do you want my honest opinion? Curtis Blaydes is probably the toughest fight in the division for me, stylistically,” said Aspinall. “But, I’m okay with that, because it’ll push me to a whole new level. Mate, that pushes me to levels I’ve never been before, and that’s what I need.

“If I’m with somebody who’s gonna make me comfortable, I’m gonna stay exactly where I am and do the exact same work that I’ve been doing. If you’re gonna give me someone I think is a scary fight, you’re gonna give me fear and you don’t wanna see me scared because I end up doing stuff like I did in The O2 the last time I fought,” added Aspinall. “I end up doing some crazy stuff that no-one’s ever done before.”

Given that some believe Blaydes is again inching closer to a title shot, a victory over the American would place Aspinall in a solid position when it comes to the championship conversation.

With Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic expected to collide in September, perhaps with interim gold on the line, the Englishman will be looking to place himself in and around the two legends with a second London triumph on July 23.

Do you agree with Tom Aspinall’s assessment? If Curtis Blaydes his toughest stylistic matchup?

Continue Reading Aspinall: Blaydes Is Stylistically The Toughest Fight In The Division For Me at MMA News.

Report | Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes Headlines UFC London On July 23.

Tom AspinallA heavyweight main event for UFC Fight Night London on July 23. has been set – with surging promotional-perfect contender, the #6 ranked contender, and recent UFC Columbus main event winner, the #4 rated, Curtis Blaydes set to meet in a headlining slot. The O2 Arena in London, England will host the promotion’s second outing […]

Tom Aspinall

A heavyweight main event for UFC Fight Night London on July 23. has been set – with surging promotional-perfect contender, the #6 ranked contender, and recent UFC Columbus main event winner, the #4 rated, Curtis Blaydes set to meet in a headlining slot. The O2 Arena in London, England will host the promotion’s second outing in the country’s capital this year.

Headlining UFC London back in March, Atherton favorite, Tom Aspinall managed to land his fifth organizational victory since his July 2020 landing in the promotion, stopping common-foe, Alexander Volkov with a rather straightforward first round straight armbar victory.

For Blaydes, the former Juco national champion lodged his second consecutive victory to inch closer to title contention back in the main event of UFC Fight Night Columbus in March, stopping Chris Daukaus with a second round knockout. The victory earned Blaydes a Performance of the Night bonus. Ariel Helwani was first to report the main event bout between Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes. 

12-2 as a professional, Team Kaobon staple, Tom Aspinall had managed to enjoy a run of two straight wins last year – stopping Sergey Spivak with a relatively comprehensive first round knockout at UFC Vegas 36 last September. Aspinall also submitted former heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski – adding the Belarusian veteran to prior UFC wins against both Alan Baudot, and Jake Collier.

16-3(1) as a professional, prior to his knockout success against Daukaus, Blaydes rebounded from a crushing knockout loss to Derrick Lewis with a unanimous decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik on the main card of UFC 265 back in September of last year. 

Amongst his other Octagon victories, the experienced wrestler, Blaydes, has also bested the likes of Alexey Oleynik, Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Junior dos Santos, and the above mentioned, Volkov.

Darren Till, a teammate of Tom Aspinall, is expected to co-headline the event

A co-main event bout between one-time welterweight title challenger turned middleweight contender, Darren Till, and former Cage Warriors titleholder, Jack Hermansson has also been verbally agreed to for the event, after the duo teased a summer UK showdown earlier this week.

“UFC London, our source tell us Jack Hermansson vs. Darren Till has verbally agreed to fight at UFC London on 23 July!” MMANYTT posted on Twitter.

Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall To Headline July 23 UFC London Card

Tom Aspinall will get his second consecutive UK headliner, this time facing top-5 heavyweight Curtis Blaydes. On March 19, the MMA leader took over The O2 in England’s capital. On the show were some of the best fighters the UK has to offer, and boy did they deliver. From Muhammad Mokaev’s memorable debut and Tom…

Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall To Headline July 23 UFC London Card at MMA News.

Tom Aspinall will get his second consecutive UK headliner, this time facing top-5 heavyweight Curtis Blaydes.

On March 19, the MMA leader took over The O2 in England’s capital. On the show were some of the best fighters the UK has to offer, and boy did they deliver.

From Muhammad Mokaev’s memorable debut and Tom Aspinall’s main event submission to a showcase of Liverpudlian talent courtesy of Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett, UFC London will certainly be in the discussion for ‘Event of the Year’ come the end of 2022.

Now, the city will have the chance to add a second blockbuster event to the discussion in a few months’ time.

On Thursday, the promotion officially confirmed that the second iteration of UFC London in 2022 is indeed set for July 23, with tickets slated to go on sale late next month.

Saturday, multiple sources confirmed Ariel Helwani’s report that Aspinall will be facing Curtis Blaydes to headline the event.

Aspinall is ranked #6 after his submission victory over Alexander Volkov at UFC London. His upcoming opponent, #4-ranked Curtis Blaydes has won two straight fights, including a very impressive TKO victory over Chris Daukaus last month to take home Performance of the Night.

This announcement comes shortly after news broke of Ciryl Gane and Tai Tuivasa meeting this fall. Jon Jones has also hinted at a fight against Stipe Miocic in September. With this pairing between Aspinall and Blaydes now locked in, there is now a clear direction for the heavyweight contenders as champion Francis Ngannou recovers from knee surgery.

Elsewhere on this card, Mokaev and McCann, who both had their hand raised on the memorable March 19 card, both look set to feature again. The Dagestani-Brit’s sophomore outing is already confirmed for July 23 and will see him go up against promotional newcomer Charles Johnson.

Meanwhile, “Meatball” Molly teased her own return on Instagram earlier this week. After revealing she’d “got the call, signed the contract,” the Liverpool native told fans she’d see them at the end of July.

Also, English bantamweight prospect Nathaniel Wood, who was pulled from the previous UFC London card after both Liudivik Sholinian and replacement opponent Vince Morales withdrew, looks set to finally make his walk in front of his home crowd. The 28-year-old recently posted training footage on social media, with a caption that simply said, “July.”

Are you excited for the UFC’s second trip to London this year on July 23?

Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall To Headline July 23 UFC London Card at MMA News.

Aspinall Targets “UK Darling” Status After First Home-Crowd Experience

Now that UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall has got a taste of fighting in front of a home crowd, he knows where he wants to compete moving forward. At UFC London, Aspinall ticked off a number of things. First main event on MMA’s biggest stage? Check. First UFC outing in front of an arena crowd? Check….

Continue Reading Aspinall Targets “UK Darling” Status After First Home-Crowd Experience at MMA News.

Now that UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall has got a taste of fighting in front of a home crowd, he knows where he wants to compete moving forward.

At UFC London, Aspinall ticked off a number of things. First main event on MMA’s biggest stage? Check. First UFC outing in front of an arena crowd? Check. First top-10 opponent added to his record? Check. A place in the title conversation? Check.

The man who fell in order for those things to happen was Alexander Volkov. Making his sixth headline appearance in the UFC, the Russian was looking to maintain his place on the heavyweight ladder by halting the surging of England’s Aspinall.

He failed to do so in the second round after getting caught in a brutal straight armbar. The response inside London’s O2 Arena was raucous, and the celebrations outside were just as electric.

As for his next step, Aspinall has made it clear what he wants: a scrap and a shoey with the UFC’s chief entertainer, Tai Tuivasa. Where does he want that to take place, you might ask? Well, there’s only one place, isn’t there?

Aspinall: “I Want To Be The UK Guy”

During a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Aspinall, who now boasts a perfect 5-0 promotional record and sits at #6 in the UFC’s heavyweight rankings, was asked if he’d be willing to fight “Bam Bam” outside of the UK.

While his response wasn’t exactly a no, the Manchester native’s intentions moving forward are certainly clear.

“I want to be the UK guy. I want to fight in the UK,” asserted Aspinall. “I don’t want to go on a card now and just be another guy on the card, you know what I mean? I want to be the UK darling. I want to be that guy.”

After the success of UFC London, an event that marked the promotion’s first trip across the Atlantic since 2019, Dana White made it clear the region’s fans will see another event there before the end of 2022. With that in mind, Aspinall may very well get his wish.

And with the Englishman’s inside sources suggesting any negotiations for a fight between Tuivasa and Stipe Miocic are not even close to coming to a successful conclusion, perhaps the Aussie will be standing opposite Aspinall in the UFC”s next visit to the UK.

Would you like to see Tom Aspinall and Tai Tuivasa collide in the UK later this year?

Continue Reading Aspinall Targets “UK Darling” Status After First Home-Crowd Experience at MMA News.