UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has shifted gears, moving his focus from Jon Jones to different opponents. It has been nothing less than a roller-coaster ride for the fighter in the promotion so far. Aspinall began his UFC career in 2020 against Jake Collier, securing a knockout victory. Since then, he has amassed an impressive record of 8-1-0 in the promotion, with his only loss coming against Curtis Blaydes in 2022.

Meanwhile, it was in November 2023 that the fighter tasted success by defeating Sergei Pavlovich to win the interim heavyweight championship. However, there is much more to learn about this British fighter. This article will delve into his background, his ethnicity, and his upbringing by his parents.

What is Tom Aspinall’s ethnicity and nationality? Can he speak Polish?

Tom Aspinall was born on April 11, 1993, to Tracy and Andy Aspinall in Salford, United Kingdom. Being raised in Atherton, Greater Manchester, Aspinall is of British descent and white ethnicity, and he is a fluent English speaker. However, some fans believe he’s Polish because of his fluency in the language. This was evident in a viral video from last year with Marcin Tybura where Aspinall surprised everyone by speaking Polish during a stare-down.

In the video, Aspinall could be heard saying, “You’re not fat anymore. What happened?… Have you been training?… I hope so.” The reason behind Tom Aspinall’s Polish fluency lies in his personal life. His wife, Justynagro Aspinall, hails from Poland, and they have two sons and a daughter together. In a previous interview, he expressed a strong connection to Poland because of his wife and their half-polish children.

While his wife and children have a role to play in Aspinall’s fluency in Polish, his performance credit goes to his father, who was also a jiu-jitsu instructor and identified the child prodigy inside him, introducing him to the mixed martial arts world.

All we know about Tom Aspinall’s parents

Tom Aspinall’s path to combat sports began 18 years ago, fueled by his father’s unwavering support. Andy Aspinall, in a selfless move, left his lucrative IT career to dedicate himself to his son’s passion. Inspired by this sacrifice, Andy opened a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school to provide Tom with a training ground.

In an interview with talkSPORT last year, Andy Aspinall shared, “I was a contractor for a long time making good money and then I was an IT manager. I got offered a redundancy payment that I didn’t have to take, but Tom was very good at jiu-jitsu and there weren’t many jiu-jitsu schools open.” This sacrifice from his father was made when Tom Aspinall was 12 years old and his brother was 9.

Tom Aspinall deeply understands his father’s sacrifice and dedication. He consistently acknowledges his father’s role in his success, crediting him in interviews and even dedicating his belt to him.