Tom Aspinall fighting again soon following 'perfect' UFC debut

The heavyweight announced himself on the big stage in sensational fashion last month with a dream UFC debut.

He needed just 45 seconds to beat Jake Collier on Fight Island – on the same bill as his Team Kaobon training partner Mike Grundy.

And Aspinall doesn’t think he’ll have long to wait for his second chance in the UFC.

The 27-year-old said: “Im hoping to fight again in October, so I’m in training now and getting ready as if I’m fighting then.”

Aspinall, who hails from Atherton, was coaching Jiu Jitsu at Grundy’s gym – Elite Fitness Factory at Eckersley Mill – before the coronavirus-forced lockdown. And the global pandemic made its mark on his UFC debut, which took place without any fans on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

“The fight went pretty-much as I could have hoped,” said Aspinall, who has a record of eight wins and two losses from all of his 10 professional fights.

“I didn’t get hit, and any time you’re in a fight and you don’t get hit, it’s always a good sign! It went perfect, really.

“Even though it was my first UFC fight, I didn’t feel it as much as my previous fights because there was no crowd.

“Within the hour, I was back in my hotel room on my own – usually it takes me a few days to come down from a win.

“Hopefully there are fans allowed in when I fight next, but the way things are it doesn’t look too promising.

“Either way I’m hoping to be fighting again in October.”