Can Tom Aspinall Bounce Back from Knee Injury?

UFC London is almost always one of the anticipated events for British MMA fans. The most recent event, Fight Night 208, was as big as it gets, with one of the country’s rising stars fighting in the main event. Tom Aspinall, who had so far been undefeated in the UFC, was taking on his first big test in Curtis Blaydes. The two heavyweights barely got started before Tom Aspinall landed awkwardly following a kick and injured his knee. With Aspinall unable to continue, the fight was called off by the referee after 15 seconds, leaving fans disappointed and concerned.

Aspinall is one of the most interesting heavyweight prospects in recent years, with an extremely well-rounded game that includes knockout power and excellent ground game. After his submission win over Volkov in March, the last time the UFC was in London, he had a lot of hype around him. British fans always come out to support their local fighters, and most considered Aspinall as a potential challenger for the heavyweight belt.

Although Blaydes was his biggest test to date, most fans believed he had a great chance to win, and he was the betting favorite on the night. Betting on the UFC is popular throughout the UK and is growing in the US too. New regulations in the US mean that online sportsbooks and casinos are now legal. You can find the best new Michigan online casino 2022 online, sign up and play today.

What is Aspinall’s Injury?

At the moment, the exact nature of Aspinall’s injury is unclear. During the broadcast, former UFC champion and current color commentator Michal Bisping pointed out that the cageside doctors believed it was an MCL tear. The knee contains four major ligaments, which, if twisted in the wrong way can tear. The medial collateral ligament is found on the inside of the knee joint, and tears are unfortunately common in athletes.

Aspinall has since stated that he’s due to go in for an MRI scan so that doctors can assess the damage and begin treatment. He’s had to wait before the scan because swelling around the knee can make it hard to diagnose at first. Once the scan has been completed, we’ll have a better idea of how long his treatment and recovery are likely to be.

An MCL tear would be bad news, likely putting him out until 2023 at the earliest. However, it’s not the worst-case scenario. Damage to the ACL, which is the anterior cruciate ligament, would be worse, and could see him missing out on a year just in rehabilitation. Aspinall and his fans will be hoping that it’s a strain rather than a tear, but he’s scheduled for surgery to help fix the issue. Whatever the injury is, it’s likely to be a long recovery process.

Which Other Fighters Have Had Knee Injuries?

Aspinall isn’t the only UFC fighter who has suffered from a knee injury in the past. Francis Ngannou recently defended his heavyweight title with a torn MCL and a damaged ACL. He’s also currently in recovery from his injuries and could still face Aspinall later on next year if things go well for both fighters. Welterweight legend Georges St-Pierre is another fighter who faced a long layoff due to his ACL. He underwent successful knee surgery before coming back and recording four more wins.

Conor McGregor, the former featherweight and lightweight champion, is a fighter who suffered a torn ACL earlier in his career in his fight against Max Holloway. Following his surgery, he still managed to work his way up the division and win the title before moving to lightweight. This is promising for Aspinall, who will still have title aspirations and luckily has time on his side.