Tom aspinall is the UFC linear champion. Photo: Reproduction/X
With a date to return to the octagon and finally debut as the new linear heavyweight champion (up to 120,2 kg), Tom aspinall will return to action against Cyryl Gane in Abu Dhabi more than a year after his knockout victory against Curtis blaydes at UFC 304. However, as much as the long period of inactivity is felt by fans and the athlete himself, the Englishman guarantees that he has no fears regarding his performance.
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In a video posted on his YouTube channel, the king of the Ultimate's most prestigious division addressed the downtime naturally and rejected the possibility of experiencing problems because of it.
"I've had long periods without fighting before. I went three and a half years without competing in MMA, so it's not a problem. Fight rhythm is a mental thing, anyway. I'm happy to be back and moving. You can expect a better version of me. I've had a year to train, test my skills, and evolve. I'll show everyone what I'm talking about on October 25th," he stated.
(I.e.Tom aspinall talks about not fighting for over a year:
“This is no problem for me… I had three and a half years off from MMA fighting before… You can only expect an improved version of me.”
@AspinallMMA pic.twitter.com/CbDnlGvqB8
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 23, 2025
Aspinall's statement is in line with other great fighters, such as Dominick CruzWhile many athletes claim to feel the effects of inactivity, others have stated that it's psychological. The Englishman, for example, experienced a similar situation when recovering from a knee injury after the first match against Blaydes.
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