UFC champion Tom Aspinall 'honoured' to have career celebrated on side of his favourite chippy
UFC champion Tom Aspinall says he is "honoured" to have his career celebrated on the side of his favourite chippy.
Aspinall may have become a global star when he was crowned interim UFC heavyweight champion in November of last year, but he admits he is thrilled to have been immortalised in a mural in his home town of Atherton in Greater Manchester.
The artwork by Manchester-based street artist Tony Kelzo has appeared on the side of Mediterranean Fish Bar on Market Street.
Aspinall said: "It's on the side of my favourite chippy. I've not been going for a while. I've been trying to watch my physique. It's a strange place to put it but I'm honoured either way."
It is the latest mural to appear in the Atherton and Tyldesley area, following similar artwork celebrating Olympic silver-medallist Keely Hodgkinson and England footballer Ella Toone.
"Our area is producing some great athletes and it's great to see," said Aspinall. "I hope us three can inspire the next generation."
Aspinall is in final preparations for a massive homecoming fight in Manchester.
He takes on American Curtis Blaydes on July 27th in the first sporting event to be staged at the new 23,000-capacity Co-op Live arena.
Fellow Briton Leon Edwards tops the bill at UFC 304 against Belal Muhammad.
North West fighters Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann are also on the card.
Frustratingly for Aspinall, his fight will take place at around 4am, in the early hours of Sunday morning, to cater to an American TV audience.
He says he was never told the fight would be during the night and only learned about it online.
"I was expecting it because it's been done before," he said. "I asked could we change it and spoke to Leon Edwards and he asked and we both got knocked back on the idea.
" We have to move with it. We can sit and complain all day but we are the best athletes in the world and we have to overcome challenges and adapt to challenges so that's what I'll be doing."
Aspinall had originally planned to train in the USA to keep on American time.
"I'm 6ft 5in and travelling back for 12 hours on a plane just before the fight, I would probably be just as exhausted. Slowly but surely I've just got used to being more active at 3am and 4am. We hope for the best."
The fight with Blaydes is a rematch and brings back painful memories for Aspinall.
When they first fought in London in 2022, Aspinall suffered a serious knee injury just 15 seconds into the contest.
"I really like Curtis, he's a really good guy," said Aspinall. "I never have anything personal against my opponents. We do a sport together. But I don't want my only fight with him to have ended with me being injured. I want to come out of this one having at least had a fight and hopefully with a win."