Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight champion, faces a unique challenge at UFC 304. His rematch against Curtis Blaydes is scheduled as the co-headliner on July 27, taking place overnight at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. Aspinall has expressed concerns about fighting in the middle of the night, but he’s found inspiration in welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
Leon Edwards’ Sleep Specialist Approach
Leon Edwards, who headlines the same card against Belal Muhammad, has employed a sleep specialist. Aspinall learned about this through Leon’s manager and decided to follow a similar path. He received a full breakdown of Edwards’ sleep pattern and plans to mimic it without hiring a specialist himself. Aspinall acknowledges that fans face a tougher challenge adjusting to the late-night schedule, while fighters can gradually adapt their body clocks.
“Leon has employed a sleep specialist,” Tom Aspinall told Title Sports Network. “I knew about this before because I know Leon’s manager, so I was kind of like, I’m not going to set anything in stone in my mind until I spoke to Leon on what he’s doing.
Leon Edwards hired a specialist to help him with his training/sleep schedule ahead of #UFC304 due to the late start times, and Tom Aspinall says he's gonna copy Leon's method 😂
🎥 YT / @AspinallMMA #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/brTGEwsBRd
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 9, 2024
“Leon basically gave me a full breakdown of his sleep pattern. So I’m essentially going to copy Leon without paying a sleep specialist. That’s the plan. I don’t want to pay anybody, so I’m just getting the advice off Leon and I’m just following what Leon’s doing.”
Tom Aspinall’s Decision
Tom Aspinall recalls attending UFC 204 in 2016, where he witnessed Michael Bisping’s fight against Dan Henderson. The overnight timing was challenging even for spectators. However, with weeks to prepare and guidance from Leon Edwards, Aspinall aims to be well-prepared for UFC 304.
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