Tom Aspinall issues ice-cold warning to the public over breach of privacy: "There might be hands flying"

Tom Aspinall likes to draw a clear line between his public and private life. He recently made it known that training sessions and family time are off-limits for the public.

Fresh off being crowned the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Jon Jones’s official retirement, Aspinall now reigns over the division and with that comes public attention. He’s embraced the role of the “people’s champ,” but only when the timing is right.

In the gym, he likes to keep things private and outside of it, especially with his kids, any breach of privacy could lead to serious consequences. Warning fans against taking pictures of his kids in a recent interview on One on One| MMA, Aspinall said:

"I absolutely love the fact that a lot of people relate to me, as in personally, which is amazing! People champ kind of vibes, which is great. But also when I'm in the gym, I've got to train, man. I got to work. And people asking for selfies in between rounds isn't ideal."

He added:

"If I'm with my children and you take a picture without my consent, there might be hands flying because I've been close to that a few times as well... Don't take pictures of my kids without consent. That's a horrendous thing to do. I hate that. Come over and ask me for a picture. Even if I am with the kids, I'll probably say, 'Yeah!' And if I don't, it's for good reason... So, just putting that out there."

Check out Tom Aspinall's comments below (34:45):

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Tom Aspinall names the UFC legends he leans on for wisdom

Tom Aspinall is sharpening his mindset by learning from some of the best in the game. In the heat of championship pressure, he turns to UFC legend Georges St-Pierre and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski for perspective.

For Aspinall, they are role models who treat fighting as a sport. He admires how both carry themselves as calm, disciplined athletes outside the cage while embracing pressure inside it.

Speaking in the aforementioned interview on One on One| MMA, Aspinall said:

"My two go-to guys who I'll listen to for advice are GSP and Volk. Just on a personal level, they are just like the most... When I say regular, I mean in the best way possible. When I say regular guys, I mean that at the top of the top regular guy... And they just told me the same stuff. Just enjoy it. Get in there. Do your thing. Let your training take over. Enjoy the moments while they're there."