Muhammad
Mokaev believes Tom
Aspinall’s father, Andy Aspinall, can hold his own against
ranked
UFC fighters.
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Mokaev and Aspinall will share a card in their hometown of
Manchester, England, at UFC 304
on July 27 as the promotion returns to the city after nearly eight
years. While Mokaev takes on Manel Kape
in a flyweight matchup, Aspinall will put his interim heavyweight
title on the line against Curtis
Blaydes in the co-main event at the Co-op Live Arena.
As two elite MMA fighters hailing from the same region, Mokaev and
Aspinall go back a long way. Mokaev was training in Wigan when he
first met Aspinall and his father Andy, who were coaching at a
different gym. Mokaev revealed that “Honey Badger” was working
security at a pub then and would give him a ride home after
practice for several years.
“Yeah, I met Tom
Aspinall, he was coaching the kids session… And then his father
was coaching adult session next session… And once Tom finished the
session, Tom used to work at the pub as a security,” Mokaev told
Title Sports Network. “And he used to finish
this session, he dropped me off at the Town Center, it’s closer to
my house. Then he stays at work until 3 a.m., Tom. And then I walk
to my house. So, he used to give me lift for like three to four
years… He was coaching the session [I was in].”
Mokaev also had high praise for Aspinall’s father, who quit his job
when Tom was 12 years old to teach him Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
According to Mokaev, Andy can compete against ranked UFC fighters
right now, as his BJJ style will translate well into MMA.
“Tom is good. His dad is like amazing guy. I think he can go in the
UFC and compete against the Top 15 right now,” Mokaev said. “I
think he has really good pressure. Like, jiu-jitsu guys, in UK they
have different styles. But Andy has [a style] actually suited for
MMA. Like control, pressure, I like his style.”