Tom Aspinall

Some Lesser Known Facts About Tom Aspinall

• Tom Aspinall was born in Salford, England, and grew up in Atherton, Greater Manchester.

• His father, Andy Aspinall, taught jiu-jitsu, and martial arts exposure was present in his life from an early age.

• He began training seriously in martial arts around age seven, initially to spend more time with his father. His early training included jiu-jitsu, boxing, and wrestling, before fully committing to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

  

• He later earned a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and won the British Open at every belt level except black belt.

• Andy Aspinall previously worked as an IT manager but left his high-paying career to coach his son full-time.

• Andy opened his own gym and converted the family garage into a small training space to support Tom’s development.

• As a teenager, Tom Aspinall briefly lost interest due to a lack of opponents and facilities, and also explored boxing.

• He eventually decided against boxing due to its structure and returned to mixed martial arts. At age sixteen, Aspinall experienced rapid growth from five feet eight inches to six feet five inches within one year.

  

• He made his amateur MMA debut at eighteen and finished his amateur career with nine wins and one loss. He became a two-time British amateur champion, with most victories coming by knockout or submission.

• Before turning fully professional, he completed personal training qualifications and worked as a personal trainer. He made his professional MMA debut in 2014 and compiled a 5–2 record between 2014 and 2016.

• During a professional hiatus, he trained with heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury during Fury’s preparation for Wladimir Klitschko.

  

• He credited Peter Fury for helping shape his footwork and tactical approach to movement and distance.

• After a two-and-a-half-year break, he signed a five-fight contract with Cage Warriors in 2019. He declined an initial UFC offer at that time, stating he did not feel ready for the promotion.

• He returned in February 2019 and earned two quick TKO wins in Cage Warriors. Following those wins, he accepted a UFC contract.

• His UFC debut was delayed by COVID-19 but took place on 25 July 2020 against Jake Collier. He won by first-round technical knockout in under one minute and earned a Performance of the Night bonus.

• He defeated Alan Baudot by first-round TKO in October 2020. In February 2021, he submitted former champion Andrei Arlovski and earned another Performance of the Night award.

• In September 2021, he defeated Serghei Spivac by first-round TKO after a late opponent change. In March 2022, he submitted Alexander Volkov with a first-round straight armbar.

• He lost to Curtis Blaydes in July 2022 after suffering a knee injury fifteen seconds into the fight. Following surgery and recovery, he adjusted his lifestyle and reduced social distractions to focus fully on training.

• He returned in July 2023 and defeated Marcin Tybura by first-round TKO in seventy-three seconds. In November 2023, he accepted a short-notice fight against Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.

  

• He won by first-round knockout in seventy-nine seconds and became the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion. In July 2024, he defended the interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 with a first-round knockout.

• He served as a backup fighter for Jon Jones versus Stipe Miocic in November 2024. In June 2025, Dana White announced Jon Jones’ retirement, promoting Aspinall to undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.

• On 25 October 2025, he defended his undisputed title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes late in the first round, leaving him unable to continue.

• The fight was ruled a no-contest, and Aspinall retained the heavyweight championship. He was later diagnosed with significant traumatic bilateral Brown’s syndrome and persistent double vision.

• Medical reports noted reduced eye movement, visual function, and substantial field loss. As of December 2025, he had not returned to training and had not been medically cleared to compete.

• Doctors stated steroid injections or surgery may be required if symptoms do not resolve. Aspinall stated he would only return when fully recovered and medically cleared.

• Following the incident, officials discussed stricter enforcement of point deductions for eye pokes. As of 9 December 2025, Aspinall is ranked seventh in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.

• He holds the UFC record for the shortest average fight time at two minutes and eighteen seconds. He has finished six of his eight UFC wins by the halfway point of the first round.

• He trains twice daily, with martial arts in the morning and conditioning in the evening. He follows a structured diet exceeding 3,000 calories daily to support training and recovery.

• His diet includes protein shakes, eggs, chicken, rice, lean mince, and supplements like creatine and vitamin C.

• He launched a YouTube channel in 2022, sharing training routines, diet, and daily life as a UFC fighter.

• Aspinall is married to his Polish wife, Justyna and has three sons, including twin boys. One of his sons was diagnosed with autism following developmental delays noticed during the COVID-19 lockdown.

  

• Aspinall has spoken publicly about autism awareness and the importance of early diagnosis. He has stated his desire to use his platform to promote understanding and acceptance of such conditions.

• He can speak some Polish and has said he feels a close connection to Poland through his family.

• Aspinall has stated that fighting in the UFC allows him to test himself against the best athletes in the world.