Tag: Tom Aspinall

UFC Fight Night 204: Tom Aspinall vs. Alexander Volkov odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 204 odds and lines between Tom Aspinall vs. Alexander Volkov, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a heavyweight bout in the main event, Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov meet Saturday at UFC Fight Night 204 at The O2 Arena in London. Below, we analyze the UFC Fight Night 204: Aspinall vs. Volkov odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The fights can be viewed on ESPN+ with the prelims starting at 1:30 p.m. ET and the main card starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Volkov, the slight underdog, holds height and reach advantages of two inches each. However, the Russian is facing Aspinall in his native England, so the crowd should be able to spur the favorite on.

Aspinall has a tremendous 7.19-to-4.86 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and he also has advantages in the takedown and submission average departments.

Aspinall is a perfect 4-0 since making his UFC debut, and all four victories have finished inside the distance. He has three KO/TKO wins and a submission victory, including a Round 1 knockout of Serghei Spivac last time out in September.

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UFC Fight Night 204 Volkov vs. Aspinall: Odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:10 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Volkov +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Aspinall -135 (bet $135 to win $100)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +135 | No -190)

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UFC Fight Night 204 Volkov vs. Aspinall: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Records: Volkov (34-9-0) | Aspinall (11-2-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

ASPINALL (-135) is fighting in his native England, and The O2 Arena should be rocking all evening long. This event was supposed to happen in 2020, but the COVID-19 global pandemic threw a monkey wrench into everything. Aspinall now gets a chance to fight in front of his countrymen.

Aspinall has been a knockout machine since arriving at the UFC level, and ASPINALL BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+170) for the Method of Victory is a tremendous value, too.

Over/Under (O/U)

Aspinall should be able to get the finish in this one. Therefore, playing NO (-190): FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE is the way to go, too. There is no way the judges are tasked with making a decision, as Aspinall just doesn’t tend to go long into the night.

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UFC Fight Night 204 final faceoffs: Volkov vs. Aspinall, Allen vs. Hooker, Pimblett vs. Vargas

Check out the marquee faceoffs for UFC Fight Night 204 with Volkov vs. Aspinall, Allen vs. Hooker, Pimblett vs. Vargas.

LONDON – The final countdown for UFC Fight Night 204 is on after ceremonial weight-ins, where the 12-fight card participated in one last faceoff.

Although it’s a deep card all around, the top three matchups are taking the majority of the focus. That includes the heavyweight main event of [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag], the featherweight co-main event of [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag], as well as the featured lightweight contest of [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kazula Vargas[/autotag].

Check out the video of the staredowns above.

UFC Fight Night 204 takes place Saturday at The 02. The entire card streams on ESPN+.

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UFC Fight Night 204 weigh-in video: Alexander Volkov, Tom Aspinall combine for 505 pounds

The main event for the UFC’s first event in England in roughly three years is now official.

LONDON – The main event for the UFC’s first event in England in roughly three years is now official.

UFC Fight Night 204 headliners [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] successfully made weight on Friday, setting the stage for their heavyweight clash at The 02, which streams on ESPN+.

During the official weigh-in session, Volkov (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC) stepped on the scale at 253 pounds. Aspinall (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC), meanwhile, registered at 252 pounds.

The pair will face off one final time at ceremonial weigh-ins before stepping in the octagon to determine which man will further climb the divisional pecking order.

Check out the video above to see Volkov and Aspinall make weight ahead of UFC Fight Night 204.

UFC Fight Night 204 weigh-in results and live video stream (5 a.m. ET)

Watch a live video stream and follow the results of the UFC Fight Night 204 official weigh-ins in London.

LONDON –MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Friday’s official UFC Fight Night 204 weigh-ins, which kick off at 5 a.m. ET (2 a.m. PT).

The weigh-ins take place at the host hotel. The O2 Arena hosts Saturday’s card, which streams on ESPN+.

Among those weighing in are [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who meet in the heavyweight main event, as well as featherweight co-headliners [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (21-11 MMA, 11-7 UFC).

The full UFC Fight Night 203 weigh-in results include:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Alexander Volkov () vs. Tom Aspinall ()
  • Arnold Allen () vs. Dan Hooker ()
  • Paddy Pimblett () vs. Kazula Vargas ()
  • Gunnar Nelson () vs. Takashi Sato ()
  • Luana Carolina () vs. Molly McCann ()
  • Jai Herbert () vs. Ilia Topuria ()

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 1 p.m. ET)

  • Makwan Amirkhani () vs. Mike Grundy ()
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov () vs. Sergei Pavlovich ()
  • Paul Craig () vs. Nikita Krylov
  • Jack Shore () vs. Timur Valiev ()
  • Cory McKenna () vs. Elise Reed ()
  • Cody Durden () vs. Muhammad Mokaev ()

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UFC Fight Night 204 pre-event facts: Can Tom Aspinall keep perfect finish rate?

The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 204, which will see Tom Aspinall and Arnold Allen attempt to keep their runs alive.

The UFC makes its long-awaited return to Europe on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 204, which takes place at The O2 in London and streams on ESPN+.

A clash of heavyweight contenders is featured in the main event of the card. Russia’s [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will take on England’s [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a matchup that will determine who takes the next step forward in title contention.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for 32 pre-event facts going into UFC Fight Night 204.

UFC Fight Night 204 media day faceoffs: Volkov-Aspinall, Allen-Hooker, Pimblett-Vargas

Check out the UFC Fight Night 204 media day faceoffs, where the top three matchups on Saturday’s card in London locked eyes.

LONDON – The top three matchups from UFC Fight Night 204 came face-to-face at the conclusion of media day.

After answering questions from reporter on Wednesday morning, the athletes from the card locked eyes. That included the heavyweight main event of [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag], the featherweight co-main event of [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag], as well as the featured lightweight contest of [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kazula Vargas[/autotag].

Check out the video of the staredowns above.

UFC Fight Night 204 takes place Saturday at The 02. The entire card streams on ESPN+.

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Tom Aspinall confident he ‘can beat anyone in the world’ ahead of UFC London headliner

Tom Aspinall thinks he’s firing on all cylinders ahead of his first main event on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 204.

LONDON – [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] thinks he’s firing on all cylinders ahead of his first main event on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 204.

Aspinall (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is radiating with confidence going into his clash with fellow heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC), which takes place at The 02 and streams on ESPN+. Thus far the Brit has been flawless inside the octagon, and after putting in some hard preparation, he said his best version will show up on fight night.

“I think I’ve improved more this camp than I have in the last two years,” Aspinall told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 204 media day. “I feel so good. I feel in such a good place mentally. This is my focus. I’m enjoying it. I’m not even thinking about the result, to be honest. I’m not thinking about how I’m going to finish the fight. I could give a sh*t, to be honest. I’m just going to have the time of my life and just enjoy it.

Aspinall, 28, admits it took some time to mature into his current mental space. He was very vocal around his first pair of UFC fights that he wanted to take the slow and steady approach to climbing the ranks.

There’s no turning back at this point, though. Volkov is a former Bellator champion who has fought many of the best in the UFC heavyweight division, and this fight is going to show exactly where Aspinall stands.

“I got to the UFC and I used to think, ‘Oh these guys are so (good).’ They’re not, mate,” Aspinall said. “They’re another guy in front of you having another fight with a pair of gloves on, and I’m going to treat it that way. Don’t get me wrong: I took Volkov more serious than I took anyone else. But at the end of the day he’s another guy across from me with a pair of gloves on. Same as anybody else.”

“If I go in there and do me and I have fun, I can beat anyone in the world. If I go in there and overthink it and try to work to a strategy and do everything perfect, I can lose. So I’m just going to go in there and have the time of my life.”

Aspinall said he doesn’t know exactly where this win will put him in the division. He didn’t dismiss the idea of a matchup with former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane, but whatever it may be, Aspinall said he’ll be ready.

“These heavyweights think they know about me, but they don’t know sh*t,” Aspinall said. “Obviously I feel I’m ready for (anyone), so here we are. Moving forward and moving up in the world hopefully.”

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UFC Fight Night 204 official poster: Tom Aspinall collides with Alexander Volkov on home soil in London

Check out the official poster for UFC Fight Night 204, featuring the heavyweight showdown between Alexander Volkov and Tom Aspinall in London.

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] will get a big opportunity to catapult himself to the upper echelon of the division.

Aspinall (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) meets [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 204, which takes place March 19 at O2 Arena in London.

Unbeaten in the UFC, the Team Kaobon fighter has impressed in his four octagon showings. Aspinall has finishes in all of his professional wins and is coming off back-to-back stoppages over former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski and Serghei Spivac.

Volkov will look to put a halt to Aspinall’s momentum in enemy territory. Winner of three of his past four, Volkov rebounded from his loss to Ciryl Gane by defeating Marcin Tybura at UFC 267.

Also featured on the poster is [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] (21-11 MMA, 11-7 UFC), who will return to featherweight when he faces streaking Brit [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in the co-main event.

Check out the official poster for UFC Fight Night 204 below (via Twitter):

The current UFC Fight Night 204 lineup includes:

  • Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall
  • Arnold Allen vs. Dan Hooker
  • Paddy Pimblett vs. Kazula Vargas
  • Luana Carolina vs. Molly McCann
  • Cody Durden vs. Muhammad Mokaev
  • Makwan Amirkhani vs. Mike Grundy
  • Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich
  • Gunnar Nelson vs. Claudio Silva
  • Cory McKenna vs. Elise Reed
  • Paul Craig vs. Nikita Krylov
  • Liudvik Sholinian vs. Nathaniel Wood
  • Jai Herbert vs. Ilia Topuria

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall headlines UFC’s March return to London

The UFC’s return to London in March has a heavyweight headliner.

The UFC’s return to London in March has a heavyweight headliner.

Former Bellator heavyweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag] (34-9 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will take on [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in the main event of the UFC’s “Fight Night” show on March 19. UFC president Dana White confirmed the booking to the promotion’s broadcast partner, ESPN.

While the March 19 card is not official, it is expected to take place at O2 Arena in London with a broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+.

Volkov got back in the win column this past October with a decision over Marcin Tybura at UFC 267. In June 2021, he dropped a decision to Ciryl Gane, who went on to win the interim heavyweight title. The loss to Gane snapped a two-fight winning streak of knockouts against Walt Harris and Alistair Overeem, the latter of which won a post-fight bonus award.

Aspinall, from Manchester, will fight in front of his home-country fans for the first time as a member of the UFC’s roster. He fought exclusively in England for his first nine fights before he signed with the UFC for a July 2020 Performance of the Night debut with a first-round knockout of Jake Collier.

Aspinall followed that up with a first-round TKO of Alan Baudot, a bonus-winning submission of former champion Andrei Arlovski in February 2021, and a bonus-winning first-round knockout of Serghei Spivac this past September.

With the addition, the UFC’s London card now includes:

  • Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall
  • Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento
  • Luana Carolina vs. Molly McCann
  • Cody Durden vs. Muhammad Mokaev
  • Makwan Amirkhani vs. Mike Grundy
  • Jack Shore vs. Timur Valiev
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Nov. 1-7)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Nov. 1-7.