Sherbro predicts the rise of Tom Aspinall, 2015

[Wololo]

That’s mad man. I love reading about that type of shit.


Are you still training these days?

Thanks man,

Yeah I am, opened up a Muay Thai gym too

Last I spoke to the Aspinalls was when he fought Arlovski, I messaged his dad congratulating them and had a nice little exchange, over Facebook.

 

[Ares Black]

I was a shitty regional amateur MMA fighter back in the day, and was on a few cards where Tom fought, he was blowing through people with ease, at a very young age.

I started training BJJ with his dad, and got to know them a little in the early days, and saw first hand how many people saw his HL reel and ducked him instantly, across Europe. I also saw how hard he trained, with no fights on the horizon. I believe he was around 16 when I came across him, I'm quite a bit older and I was pleasantly surprised to see how mature he was about his MMA training and career. His dad Andy deserves mad props for keeping him on the path, and training him, keeping him going when it looked pretty hopeless back then when he couldn't get any fights.

I knew it was a matter of time before he was found and put on a big stage, now he's doing to world class MMA fighters the same thing he did to regional amateur /pro MMA fighters, it's insane, and I couldn't be happier for him and his dad, genuinely two of the nicest people I've met in my MMA journey.

I thought I'd mention him on here to get him some recognition back then, as I hadn't seen a single thread about him back then.

It is cool to hear a story like this. Sometimes fighters seem larger than life but it's important to remember that they are human beings.

It must be pretty surreal to see someone you remember as a kid become champion of the world.

 

[mkess101]

Tom would get submitted by Stuart Austin 3 months later.

Well done guys.

Clearly that derailed him to where he never got near the pinnacle or made good on his potential.

Well done, Mark.

 

[mkess101]

With another 2 losses on top of that too.

A DQ and a fluke non contact injury.

Only someone as bitter as little Marky here about his hero being mocked as a duck could comment like this. Thread mentions a regional Brit predicting big things and the guy is now the best HW on earth and Marky is like "Derp he lost a few".

 

[Wololo]

It is cool to hear a story like this. Sometimes fighters seem larger than life but it's important to remember that they are human beings.

It must be pretty surreal to see someone you remember as a kid become champion of the world.

It is pretty surreal, knowing I've taken classes he and his dad ran, even rolled with him way back then.

I'll say it again, im very happy for him to have made it so far, genuinely a super nice person.

 

[HHJ]

When I first saw Tom debut in the UFC, he sort of pranced towards his opponent with no fear, and im like... lol ok this guy is def not lacking for confidence, only someone who got sick hands walks up on someone like that hahaha

 

[The Big Babou]

This @Wololo character is from Manchester, England eh?



I think you found Tom Aspinall’s account.

...or his Dad

 

[Ares Black]

...or his Dad

 

[HerpDerp]

When I first saw Tom debut in the UFC, he sort of pranced towards his opponent with no fear, and im like... lol ok this guy is def not lacking for confidence, only someone who got sick hands walks up on someone like that hahaha

Well put, I know exactly what you mean!

You can tell how some fighters have a unique level of confidence that's well beyond the ordinary. Every single step they take and even the slightest of micro movements they make just oozes bad intentions.

Topuria is another one of those fighters that has that air about him like he brought a shotgun into a knife fight.