Tom Aspinall reveals his secret weapon ahead of UFC 295 clash with Sergei Pavlovich at Madison Square Garden

Atherton’s Tom Aspinall has revealed his ‘secret weapon’ just days away from the biggest fight of his UFC career – his dad.

When Aspinall takes on Sergei Pavlovich as the co-headliner of UFC 295 in the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City in the early hours of Sunday morning., he has the chance to write himself into the history books in a title fight. And despite taking the fight at just 17 days’ notice, the 30-year-old is confident that he has an ace in his sleeve which will lead him to UFC glory.

“I’ve got the secret weapon which is my dad,” said Aspinall, who was introduced to the sport by his father Andy at just seven years old, training in their garage. “I’ve had him to help me from day one up to right now.

“I’ll mix in anything, anything that I see where I’ve got an advantage, I’ll do that. I’m feeling good, with the circumstances I’ve got I’m feeling really good.”

Andy has coached his son throughout his life – helping him earn his Brazilian Ju Jitsu black belt at just nine years old – and has been in his corner throughout his rapid rise through the UFC ranks in 2020 following a promising career in another promotion, Cage Warriors.

The top UFC heavyweight contender faces the no.2-ranked heavyweight in Pavlovich, replacing Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic after the former – the current heavyweight champion – suffered a nasty pectoral injury in training. With Miocic refusing to face Pavlovich – the backup fighter for the event - on such short notice, Aspinall was called at 4am and offered the opportunity to become Britain’s first UFC heavyweight champion.

“I was shocked, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve never actually received a direct call from who called me before, so I knew it was something fight-related. I was totally in shock for a couple of days.”

Aspinall - who has prepared for the bout with training sessions at Wigan Warriors' Robin Park Arena - enters the contest with a UFC record of six victories and just one defeat, a record mirroring that of his opponent.

With each of the Russian's wins coming by knockout or submission – mostly early in the first round – and his solitary defeat due to a freak knee injury, he has long been seen as the most formidable contender in the division.

As he prepares for Pavlovich, Aspinall is fully aware that he must be at his best to overcome the Russian opponent. Should he be successful in achieving history and becoming Britain’s third-ever UFC champion, Aspinall plans to celebrate his victory with the people of Manchester as a guest on UFC legend Micheal Bisping’s ‘Tales from the Octagon’ tour in December.

He said: “It would be pretty cool I reckon, if I can sit on the chair and have a laugh with Bisping and Paul Craig and the people of Manchester with a UFC belt then that’d be a great time.”