"He can't possibly be prepared for it" - Michael Bisping has a warning for Tom Aspinall ahead of UFC London
Michael Bisping has a warning for fellow UK MMA stalwart Tom Aspinall ahead of the heavyweight prospect’s first UFC main event matchup in his country.
In a BT Sport video previewing the UFC London card that Aspinall will headline, Bisping harked back to the first time he returned to fight in the UK since joining the UFC. ‘The Count’ recalled walking out at UFC 70 in April 2007, at the MEN (Manchester Evening News) arena in Manchester, UK, and being overwhelmed by the crowd support he received.
Bisping stated:
“You’re talking about the crowd. You know, Tom’s gonna have to be prepared for when he walks out… In fact, he can’t possibly be prepared for it. The roar that he is going to experience. When I walked out at UFC 70 in Manchester, at the MEN, the first-ever time, I had no idea. Right? Never in your wildest dreams you know or prepare yourself for the roar of 20,000 Brits going absolutely crazy for you. And it’s all for you.”
Additionally, Bisping also highlighted that his next matchup witnessed him compete at UFC 75 in September 2007 at the O2 Arena in London, UK. Ahead of the fight, he focused on being calm and not getting worked up, but couldn’t perform efficiently as he’d gotten too relaxed. ‘The Count’ added:
“Gotta find a happy balance; a happy medium. Nothing can prepare you for it. That’s why they call it experience.”
Furthermore, Bisping labeled Tom Aspinall “level-headed” and “smart.” He opined that despite Aspinall’s inexperience in regards to headlining a UFC event, he’ll rise to the occasion.
Watch Michael Bisping discuss Tom Aspinall’s upcoming fight in the video below:
Michael Bisping foresees Tom Aspinall beating Alexander Volkov
Tom Aspinall will face Alexander Volkov in a five-round heavyweight bout that’ll headline the UFC London card on March 19th. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour a few days ago, Michael Bisping asserted that Aspinall is likely to emerge as the UK’s next UFC champion.
Bisping emphasized that Aspinall is in for a tough test against Volkov, who’s a veteran of the sport. Nevertheless, he picked the Brit to beat his Russian opponent. The former UFC champ said:
“He’s got a tall order with [Alexander] Volkov. But I believe if he can get through Volkov, then nothing but big, big fights. Of course, we’ve got [Francis] Ngannou, he’s at the top of the food chain. But Tom’s very, very technical. So, I think Tom. I think Tom’s gonna pull it off.”
Watch Michael Bisping's interview on The MMA Hour below: