With the UFC and MMA exploding in popularity over recent years, many fans are still turned off by certain aspects of the sport. ‘It’s too brutal’ is one reason people criticize mixed martial arts. It’s a valid point; cage fighting isn’t for everybody. Although the production of events is now more professional, and the ruleset has become more defined to protect fighters, it still appeals to only some people, which is fine.
Educating the masses
Another reason it can take people a while to take to the sport is the complexity of MMA. Wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu, when on display inside the cage, can come across as ‘boring’ to the untrained eye. Mostly, this is because the casual fan has a lack of understanding into the intricacies of fighting outside of the boxing realm. Again, this is fine; it’s a relatively new sport after all.
This is where education factors in. Both play-by-play and color commentators, such as Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, do a great job of trying to educate fans watching live UFC events. Fighters are now also using YouTube more and more as a platform for breaking down fights and providing greater insight into the world of mixed martial arts.
Few break it down in real layman’s terms, though, and that is where Aspinall has stepped in. He’s recently released a show titled ‘The Fight Lab’ in conjunction with TNT Sports, which covers a plethora of topics.
Tom Aspinall’s new MMA show
Aspinall was joined by Adam Catterall, combat sports presenter on TNT Sports, and special guest Joe Cole, a decorated ex-premier league champion with Chelsea FC. The show began with the interim heavyweight champion demonstrating basic MMA techniques, including how to succeed with takedowns when a fighter is up against the fence, or in this case, wall. Despite the significant height difference, the 5 foot 9 inch Joe Cole was surprisingly able to get 6 foot 5 Aspinall down to the floor, showcasing the power of technique in the sport of mixed martial arts.
Aspinall then fielded some questions from fans across the UK, with one fan, a small boy from a regional MMA gym, asking the UFC star if he ever felt bad after knocking one of his opponents out. Aspinall hesitated with his answer, presumably as he was speaking to a child, before humorously answering the question with an honest ‘no.’ Aspinall explained that his opponents were trying to do the same to him, which drew a laugh from the studio.
Aspinall breaks down UFC 300
The episode of Tom Aspinall’s Fight Lab was released last week. Although UFC 300 has already happened, the fight breakdowns that Aspinall provided ahead of the card remain fascinating viewing even after the event. He spoke about how Alex Pereira and Justin Gaethje’s approach to leg kicks are notably different. ‘Poatan’ tends to throw sharper kicks up the middle with less backlift but harder to read. He mixes it in with body shots, culminating in his opponents focusing on what is coming from down below. He’ll then look for the devastating overhand left, a shot with which he has had a huge amount of success in previous fights.
Jamahal Hill, his opponent at UFC 300, likes to control the fight with his feet, according to Aspinall. With Hill being a southpaw, he has a tendency to leave his right leg on the outside, forcing his opponent to come inside. When he backs up his opponent near the cage, and there’s nowhere for them to go, he steps inside and unleashes his vicious hands.
During the UFC 300 fight breakdown segment, Aspinall gave props to Justin Gaethje’s kicking ability and said that he believes it is often overlooked due to the devastating knockout power he has in his fists. When Gaethje kicks, he does so with intent, sometimes even taking a small run-up before unleashing. He targets both his opponent’s front and back leg, and mixes up kicks to the calves and thighs. According to Aspinall, his goal is to target the legs as much as possible to destabilize his opponent and then look for the kill with his striking.
A different approach to MMA analysis
Tom Aspinall’s MMA show was fascinating and would appeal to newcomers to the sport. He gave an in-depth analysis of fighters and the styles they adopted in their bouts and educated the viewers by showing them basic MMA techniques. If the show proves to be a success and continues to produce episodes, it could inspire the next generation of youngsters to take up the sport. We recommend checking it out.
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