‘Please don’t happen to me’… Tom Aspinall Recalls Witnessing One of the Most Devastating UFC Knockouts of All Time.
In the brutal world of mixed martial arts, even seasoned fighters aren’t immune to moments that make them wince — and hope they’re never on the receiving end. For UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, one such moment stands out vividly.
During a recent interview, Aspinall reflected on witnessing one of the most devastating knockouts in UFC history — a knockout so violent that it made even the 6’5”, 250-pound Englishman whisper to himself, “Please don’t happen to me.”
Though Aspinall has never been a stranger to the dangers of fighting — he’s dealt out his fair share of knockouts and has a surgical approach to dismantling opponents — there are moments that remind every fighter just how thin the line between dominance and disaster can be. The particular knockout in question? Edson Barboza’s legendary spinning wheel kick against Terry Etim at UFC 142.
Aspinall, who knew Etim personally and had trained with him, described the moment with sobering clarity. “I remember seeing that and just thinking… I never want to be on the wrong end of something like that,” he said. “You see a guy stiffen up mid-air, and it doesn’t feel like sport anymore. It feels like something out of a nightmare.”
Barboza’s wheel kick has long been replayed in UFC highlight reels — Etim collapsed to the canvas like a marionette with its strings cut, a haunting image that’s etched into the minds of fighters and fans alike. For Aspinall, it wasn’t just a moment of awe — it was a stark reminder of what’s at stake every time you step into the Octagon.
“That’s the thing with this sport,” Aspinall added. “You can be dominating a fight, feeling like you’re in control, and one second later, everything changes. One strike can shut the lights out — no matter who you are.”
As Aspinall continues his rise in the UFC, his respect for the dangers of the sport remains grounded. While fans marvel at the power and precision he brings to the cage, moments like Barboza-Etim are a humbling reminder of the risks involved — and of the unspoken fear that every fighter must learn to live with.
“Every time I train, every time I fight, that image flashes somewhere in the back of my mind,” he said. “It doesn’t control me — but it keeps me sharp. Because that? That’s the kind of thing you pray never happens to you.”
