Veteran coach Eric Nicksick says the chance to train with UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall and watch him spar Sean Strickland was ‘like a collab rap album’.
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall recently got the chance to train at the Xtreme Couture gym under Eric Nicksick, and it’s safe to say that the British juggernaut left a lasting impression on the veteran coach.
Coach Eric Nicksick celebrates Tom Aspinall after training sessions
Speaking via the Red Corner MMA YouTube channel, veteran coach Eric Nicksick revealed that whilst he was already an enormous fan of Aspinall, he couldn’t help but be blown away by the British heavyweight’s skillset and attitude towards training.
“You think of these individuals before you really know them and you have this perception of them and I’ve been singing Tom’s praises for years; just seeing his style, seeing the way he trains, and seeing his approach and I’ve thought very, very highly of him…
Then I got to meet the guy and he just blew that expectation out of the water.”
Nicksick described Aspinall as not only “this great incredible athlete,” but also hailed him as an “ambassador to the sport,” before reiterating that he was blown away watching the heavyweight up close and personal.
“Being able to kind of get him on the pads and work some ideas back and forth with him so there is no question why this guy’s a world champion and I think he’s going to be world champion for a long time.
“I think just the way he approaches the game, his fight IQ, his work ethic, his coaches, everything that he has man he’s doing it all right,” stated the veteran trainer, later adding how “I couldn’t be happier for him, I’m definitely a fan of him and can’t wait to see him perform come July.”
Aspinall is set to return to action in July in the co-main event of UFC 304 in Manchester, where he will face former foe Curtis ‘Razor’ Blaydes.
Nicksick shares story of watching Aspinall spar with Sean Strickland
When asked whether he’d be willing to train with Aspinall and get the British heavyweight back in the training room alongside his fellow fighters at Xtreme Couture, Nicksick stated that he’d jump at the opportunity.
“I definitely hope so, I would love to be able to work with Tom a little bit more and it’s almost like that collab, like a like a collab rap album you know like hey man let’s jump in the lab [and] let’s play some lay some tracks down.”
Yet it’s no surprise that that one of Nicksick’s most popular fighters was more than willing to step in and spar the interim heavyweight champion; UFC 302 co-headliner Sean Strickland.
According to Nicksick, “both of them were raving about each other and had they had a really good time, but you know guys like that man they’re going to bring the best out of one another.
“I think when Sean is sparring the heavyweight guys, Sean is very reserved in his approach, he’s funny because he’d always call out Francis and like ‘Yo I want to spar Francis [Ngannou]’ like Why do you want to spar Francis? Just because it scares the s*** out of me right.”
Back to Aspinall, and Nicksick revealed that the two are in conversation about potential strategies ahead of his interim heavyweight title defense against Blaydes in just a few weeks’ time.
“We called a couple days ago, we facetimed [and] just chopped it up about thoughts and theories on the fight and things like that so I would love to be able to help him as much as I can and as much as he’s comfortable with.”
Interestingly, Nicksick also added that “he really fit the gym the dynamic of the team,” which includes the likes of Chris Curtis, Cody Stamann, Brad Tavares, and Punahele Soriano.
Nicksick is currently in Newark, New Jersey as he prepares his fighter Sean Strickland for an enormous co-main event clash against Brazilian demolition man Paulo Costa.