UFC heavyweight Tom Apsinall will headline his second major event this weekend at UFC London, but he insists that he’s still a mystery inside the Octagon. At the pre-fight media day, he pointed out that his Octagon time is so short – thanks to a penchant for early finishes – that nobody truly knows what he’s capable of. Certainly, his 100% finish rate in the UFC suggests that Aspinall is a force to be reckoned with.
“I just have so much that I’ve not shown, and people don’t know what to expect. No one’s got any idea. Curtis, or anyone else in the heavyweight division, doesn’t know what I bring to the table, because I’ve not shown it yet. I’ve shown 10 percent of my game, because my octagon time is so short.
Aspinall Still A Mystery At UFC London: “No one has really seen what I can really do”
No one has really seen what I can really do. So I have so much that nobody knows about, which is a massive advantage to me.”
In Curtis Blaydes, Apsinall faces a powerful wrestler. For Aspinall, whose jiu-jitsu pedigree sets him apart from most of the swang-and-bang heavyweight division, that might be dangerous.
Tom Aspinall boasts victories over heavyweight titans Alexander Volkov and Andrei Arlovski, but he’s never faced a man as capable of making his life miserable on the mat as Curtis “Razor” Blaydes. In a weight class where a single strike can end a fight early, Tom Aspinall knows he needs to be ready for anything. Whatever Blaydes brings to the Octagon, whether it’s submissions, strikes, or his patented takedown game, Tom Aspinall is ready.
“This is MMA. He’s a great wrestler. He’s great at other stuff, as well. So, I have to be expecting everything. Obviously he brings a massive threat in the wrestling department. I’ve prepared for that. I’ve prepared for everything. This is MMA. You can’t just be like, ‘He’s going to come out and just take me down.’ He’s got great takedowns, but I’m ready for his striking, as well. And his submission game. I’m ready for everything.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about winning on the night. “I’m a winner. That’s what I care about. I want to win. Don’t care how I win, but I’m a fierce, fierce competitor. I’m fiercely competitive, and I’m trying to win. That’s it.”
What are you expecting to see from Tom Aspinall this weekend? Let us know what you think in the comments.
