Tom Aspinall recently shared his perspective on the legacy he hopes to leave in the world of MMA. The UFC heavyweight champion emphasized that he wants to be remembered as an entertaining fighter with a high fight IQ—an attribute he feels is often overlooked.
Aspinall joined the UFC in July 2020 after spending five years competing on the regional MMA circuit. From the very beginning, the British fighter demonstrated dominating performances. Aside from a TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes, he has defeated all of his other opponents with impressive displays inside the octagon.
Following Jon Jones’ retirement earlier this year, Aspinall was crowned the new UFC heavyweight champion. Ahead of his first title defense, he opened up about his legacy and fight intelligence during the UFC 321 Countdown video.
He said,
*”The legacy that I want to leave is that I was an entertaining fighter, that I had a really high fight IQ that I believe that I don’t get any credit for just yet, and that I would fight anybody, and I’ve never turned a fight down in my life.”*
### Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane: UFC 321 Main Event Preview
Tom Aspinall is set to defend his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane this weekend in the UFC 321 main event. Aspinall enters the fight coming off a win against Curtis Blaydes, while Gane most recently defeated Alexander Volkov.
In a recent media scrum, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira shared his thoughts on the upcoming matchup. He noted the challenges Aspinall might face against Gane’s movement and tactical approach.
Pereira said,
*”It’s a tough fight, you know. Tom is a complete fighter, but I do feel like he’s fought a lot of aggressive guys, and I think Gane is a guy who’s gonna do a lot of moving, and he’s gonna be a little more cautious, and that moving around might frustrate Tom. First, second, third round, maybe Tom can’t find Ciryl Gane, I think it’s gonna be a different fight.”*
—
**About the Author**
*Nilaav Gogoi is a budding sports management professional covering MMA at Sportskeeda. With previous stints at Sportszion and First Sportz, Nilaav is dedicated to exploring the captivating stories and technical aspects of MMA. He strives to provide accurate, well-authored content with reliable information for readers.*
—
Stay tuned for the UFC 321 event and follow the latest updates on One Championship Rankings and more at Sportskeeda.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-i-believe-i-don-t-get-credit-ufc-champ-tom-aspinall-gives-honest-take-legacy-says-fight-iq-goes-unnoticed