After the biggest win of his UFC career, Tom Aspinall has set his sights on Australia’s Tai Tuivasa.
The 28-year-old is an undefeated 5-0 in the sport’s top promotion, and made the most of his first main event slot by submitting Alexander Volkov in just three minutes, in front of a parochial crowd in London.
He’s expected to shoot up the heavyweight rankings when they’re updated tomorrow, and is looking towards a blockbuster fight with Australia’s heavy hitter.
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“First things – someone buy me a beer,” he said afterwards.
“Second thing. We drink beer in the UK, not just Australia. So Mr Tai Tuivasa, next time we come to the UK, next time we’re in the UK let’s do it bro, I’m ready for you.”
In a highly entertaining card, Aspinall came away with the submission victory while fellow Brit and former middleweight champion Michael Bisping gushed on commentary.
“The guy’s so technically good,” Bisping said.
“He’s so calm and composed.”
Aspinall acts the part and after this win, certainly looks the part – and regardless of where it takes place, a fight with Tuivasa would be absolutely box office.
“I’ve been telling everybody all week, I’m born for this,” he said.
When asked by Bisping what was fuelling him, his answer was simple.
“The secret is self-belief, man,” he said.
“I believe in myself. My dad, my coaches, my teammates – they’ve believed in me since I was born.”
It was a sensational morning of fights, with Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett extending his UFC winning streak, while his good friend and training partner Molly McCann produced possibly the knockout of the year.
https://twitter.com/FTB_VIDS/status/1505287192330919937https://twitter.com/fightpicsgohard/status/1505302888557518848
Sadly for Kiwi fans, Dan Hooker’s return to the featherweight division ended in just two and a half minutes, in a TKO loss to Arnold Allen