After Breakout Performance, Tom Aspinall Happy to Remain ‘Biggest Mystery in Heavyweight MMA’

As impressive as Tom Aspinall was at UFC Fight Night 204, he says he only scratched the surface regarding his overall skillset in a first-round submission of Alexander Volkov in Saturday’s main event.

“I didn’t really show much,” Aspinall said at the post-fight press conference. “I keep it that way every time if I can. I want to be the biggest mystery in heavyweight MMA. These people think they know about me — nobody knows about me. These people think they know what they’re up against — nobody knows what they’re up against. Let’s keep it a secret.”

Aspinall became the first person since 2010 to make Volkov tap, and looked more impressive than highly-ranked heavyweights such as Ciryl Gane and Curtis Blaydes have against the Russian veteran.

“It couldn’t have gone any better,” Aspinall said. “That was the ideal performance. I truly thought I was gonna go five rounds. To get a guy like Volkov — who has been finished twice [in the UFC] — out of there in the first round, just shows credit to my finishing ability. My finishing ability is highest of the high level.

“[It was] everything I dreamed of and more. Unbelievable. I see a lot of media and s--t like that, ‘Oh, he’s gonna feel the pressure when he fights in front of a crowd. Oh, he’s gonna feel the pressure with Volkov who is a veteran.’ Other people might feel the pressure. Other people are not me. I’m different.”

In victory, Aspinall extended his finishing streak in UFC competition to five, which ties him with another surging heavyweight – Tai Tuivasa – for the longest active finishing streak in the promotion. It was only natural then, that Aspinall called for a matchup with the master of the shoey himself.

“The reason why I called out Tai is, first of all, I’m a massive fan of his style. Second of all, I’m a massive fan of his personality,” Aspinall said. “The crowd goes wild when he fights. And apparently, the crowd goes wild when I fight. So me and him in the U.K., come on, bro. What a good time that would be. Let’s line it up (for) the next U.K. card. Get me and Tai on it – please.”