A heavy-hitting heavyweight destroyed his UFC opponent in 95 seconds but looked moody and annoyed after the win
- Tom Aspinall continued an impressive start to his UFC career, securing his second consecutive first round finish for the company on Saturday.
- The Brit bulldozed through Alan Baudot in a heavyweight match on the main card of UFC Fight Island 5 at the behind-closed-doors Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
- Aspinall avoided most of Baudot's strikes during early exchanges and once he retaliated in kind, he overwhelmed his opponent with apparent ease.
- But rather than celebrate the win, Aspinall looked moody and angry, and later said he feels like he made a few mistakes during the bout.
A heavy-hitting heavyweight destroyed his UFC opponent in 95 seconds, but looked moody and annoyed after the win.
Tom Aspinall, one of the UFC's 2020 recruits, cultivated a reputation as a feared knockout puncher in Britain, returning stoppage wins in BAMMA and Cage Warriors.
Aspinall took "Fight Island" by storm in July when he bulldozed through his opponent, winning by knockout in 45 seconds.
On Saturday, he followed that victory with another dominant performance in the same Flash Forum venue on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, during a "UFC Fight Island 5" match against Alan Baudot.
Taking control of the middle of the Octagon and evading Baudot's introductory attacks — a jab, hook, and spinning back-fist — before easing into his own strikes like a counter punch, a textbook one-two combination, and then, with the distance-closed, powerful shorts from close-range.
On the canvas, Aspinall smothered Baudot, leaned on him, sent his elbow tip into his opponent's face, then rained punch after punch onto his largely-defenseless opponent.
It was all over.
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Most fighters would celebrate such an occasion. It was Aspinall's second consecutive first-round finish since signing with the UFC, after all.
But not this Brit.
Aspinall looked frustrated as he prowled around the Octagon without even a smile, while Baudot lay defeated on the mat.
"I felt that my performance was okay … could have been better," said Aspinall after his fight. "I was stepping in a little bit too close but I'm still learning so I'm going to make mistakes in there.
"Luckily, I didn't get the consequences of my mistakes, so everything went smoothly."
Elaborating on the mistakes he made, Aspinall said: "I think a lot of those spins were too close, I was spending too much time too close to him. I should have been in, out, in, out, but I'm learning and next time I'm going to know."
He continued: "I didn't find it too difficult the first time to be honest. It's not different than any other fight. I've got to get in there and fight a massive guy who is looking to take my head off, every time, whether I'm fighting in the UFC or on a local show, it doesn't matter. I'm fighting a big, dangerous guy, so I'm nervous every time."
Aspinall advanced his professional MMA record to nine wins (eight knockouts and one submission) against two losses, and wants to fight Sergey Spivak — who has a record of 11 wins against two losses — next
"I'd like to fight Spivak. He's without a fight now. The next time the UFC comes to Fight Island, we should get that on for sure."
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