Aspire Combat Sports Academy
The room that taught him.
818 Queens Drive, Liverpool. Tom fights out of this gym and coaches its whole programme, from pre schoolers to the competition team.
Aspire's own film of the academy.
In his words
I came here to train, not to coach.
Aspire is not a gym where you get to coast. There are four black belts on these mats and lads who have fought on UFC, Bellator and Cage Warriors cards warming up next to you. You find your level quickly, and then you find out whether you want to do something about it.
Being asked to teach is what changed it for me. I learned more in six months of explaining a technique than I had in two years of drilling one. You cannot fake understanding when a nine year old asks you why it works.
Now I fight out of here and I coach here, from the three year olds in Little Ninjas up to the lads getting ready for a title. Same room, same mats, same people who taught me. That is the part I would want anyone walking in to know. Nobody here started good.
What is actually in the building
- Four
- Brazilian jiu jitsu black belts on the coaching staff.
- Daily
- Coaching from fighters who have held UFC, Bellator and Cage Warriors roster spots.
- Every day
- An MMA, jiu jitsu, kickboxing or kids session runs seven days a week.
- Intro 2 MMA
- A dedicated beginners class, so nobody has to start in the deep end.
Aspire describe themselves as a community rather than a gym, open to any age, weight, sex or experience level. It is a fair description of the room.
His side of the timetable
Tom co-leads the jiu jitsu fundamentals class with Danny Farrell, runs the Little Ninjas session for three to five year olds, and coaches and corners the junior competition team alongside the academy staff.
If you want him specifically, the fastest route is a phone call. He will tell you which session to walk into and whether a private hour would get you there quicker.
Call 07756 785712