Tom Aspinall sees the funny side of potentially fighting at 5am.
Last week, Dana White announced that his promotion will be putting on a pay-per-view event at Manchester’s new Co-op Live Arena on July 27.
However, fan excitement quickly turned to disappointment when it was revealed that the first UFC 304 fight won’t take place until 11pm UK time.
The main card, which will feature Aspinall defending his interim heavyweight title, is scheduled to start at 3am, meaning the event won’t finish until around 6am.
Aspinall reacted to the news by sharing a picture of him yawning, with the caption: “When you find out you have to have a scrap with someone at 5am.”
The UK fan favourite added a laughing emoji to show he was just joking, but some fans don’t think the UFC 304 start time is a laughing matter.
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One person replied: “I was going to get tickets for this too, can’t be a***d now.”
Another said: “Actually the most stupid thing ever.”
Someone else wrote: “If they don’t change this bulls*** the UFC should be ashamed of themselves, utterly disgusting for us lot.”
A fourth person fumed. “It’s a disgrace to us UK fans who spend most the year having to watch in US time.”
Leon Edwards vs Kamaru Usman III topped a massive show in London last year, but their welterweight title fight took place at British prime time.
MMA’s premier league wants to capitalise on its strong American audience with UFC 304, which will not be the first UK card to take place in the early hours of the morning.
Fans packed out Manchester’s AO Arena until 6am to watch Michael Bisping rematch Dan Henderson at UFC 204 in October 2016 and will have to do so again if they want to see Edwards and Aspinall this summer.
Regardless of the backlash from some fans, UFC 304 will be a complete sell-out and tickets are likely to be snapped up as soon as they go on sale in June.
News Summary:
- Tom Aspinall shares hilarious reaction as MMA fans fume about bizarre UFC 304 start time
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