Rico Verhoeven and Tom Aspinall have their work together, but that’s not your average gym session. The glorious kickboxing champion and the UFC interim heavyweight champion exchanged body shots, sparred and picked up each other’s brains in the ring. Both men are at the top of their respective games, but there is no room for ego here. Sweat and a few damaged ribs.
Tom Aspinall vs. Rico Verhoeven
Rico Verhoeven and Tom Aspinall not only stick to sparring and strategy in their latest training sessions, they also introduced the “Iron Gut Challenge” to their audience. The rules are simple. Each fighter starts at about 30-40% power and rises to punish 95%, absorbing body shots in turn. “You punch me, I punch you,” Verhoven explained.
The challenge escalated quickly. “It’s starting to red in the exact same place,” Aspinel said the punches have landed, making each round a bit more difficult. By the time they reached 80% and 90%, the tension was real. Verhoeven provided advice from the veteran. “Don’t try to hold your breath when you’re taking these punches.
Competitor Aspinall wanted to set the bar high as their first guest. After the final round, both men agreed that the iron gut challenge was “no joke”, and mutual respect was clear. For Aspinall, it hone his skills with the best of another day.
Tom Aspinoll, who is aiming for the indisputable UFC heavyweight crown with John Jones, is not shy about the challenges that come with training alongside Verhoven. “I’ve been training with Rico for a long time, but when I come, I feel like there’s a lot to learn. “Training with Champions, no joke. I polish my blades, polish the very, very, very, very, very best blades. The world’s elite is the next level. It’s difficult, competitive, but we like it.”
Rico Verhoven has been the sport’s dominant glorious heavyweight champion and dominant force for over a decade. On June 14th at the Glory 100 in Rotterdam, Verhoeven defends the title against former two-time Glory Light heavyweight champion Artem Vakhitov. This headline match is part of a mega event featuring four world title fights and several heavyweight tournaments, marking one of the most important nights in kickboxing history.
On the MMA side, Tom Aspinall quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the UFC, retaining his reputation as finishing a record-breaking battle with the interim UFC heavyweight title. Known for its speed and knockout power, Aspineol finished most of the UFC victory in the first round. This includes Sergei Pablovich’s fierce knockout with a quick defense against interim Gold and Curtis Braides.
While Tom Aspinall waits for a shot at Jon Jones, Rico Verhoeven is busy preparing for his own big moment. His next battle at Glory 100. Both men look to various awards, but mutual respect is clear. For now, it’s back to the grind, a few more body shots, and maybe a bit of a friendly trash between the rounds.
