After nearly a year since his last title defence, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is taking an unconventional route in preparation for his next fight. The 32-year-old Briton recently revealed he has a new matchup on the horizon.
In the meantime, Aspinall has started a “military grade” training programme. Instead of a usual MMA camp, the heavyweight star has partnered with Farren Morgan (a renowned British military tactical trainer) to push his physical and mental limits in true soldier fashion.
A Champion Seeks an Unorthodox Challenge
Aspinall’s decision to go through military-style training came to light via an Instagram video that he shared with his fans. In the clip, Farren Morgan greets the camera with enthusiasm: “I’m really excited to see if a heavyweight champion of the world can take on some of the army’s hardest challenges”. For Aspinall, this collaboration is an opportunity to be tested by the best in a different arena. Keep in mind that he’s been vocal about the need to improve his conditioning.
By asking for Morgan’s help, the fighter signalled that he wanted to be pushed to his limits by the toughest instructor available. This is a testimony to Morgan’s reputation as “the best in the game” when it comes to military-style preparation.
From the very start, the UFC champion was thrown out of his comfort zone. When he geared up in standard army fatigues proved challenging.
Farren Morgan: The Tactical Trainer Behind the Test
Farren Morgan is a former British Army paratrooper who has built a coaching career to prepare people for the most gruelling military courses and selection tests.
So, who is the man putting the heavyweight champion through his paces?
Farren Morgan is far from a traditional MMA coach. He’s a former British Army Guardsman and Paratrooper with nearly a decade of service, including time as a Queen’s Guard and physical training instructor. After leaving the army, Morgan dedicated himself to coaching others. He specializes in transforming ordinary civilians into elite “tactical athletes.”
His company (The Tactical Athlete) has one clear mission: to help clients “pass any test, course, or selection” through rigorous training and mental fortitude. Morgan has built a second-to-none reputation in the preparation of candidates to excel in extreme conditions, such as:
- The British Parachute Regiment (P Company).
- The Royal Marines’ Commando Course.
- Officer school at Sandhurst.
What makes Morgan different is that he doesn’t just preach toughness, he actually lives it. For example, earlier this year, the ex-soldier made headlines as he completed an extraordinary 1,000-mile “ruck” across the length of Great Britain in just 25 days. During this journey, he carried a 35-pound backpack and ran from Land’s End in England to John O’Groats at the tip of Scotland. This is the equivalent of 38 consecutive marathons.
The challenge aimed to raise money for a veterans’ charity. However, it was no easy feat. It demanded precisely the kind of endurance and resilience he coaches. Another example dates back to 2024 when Morgan attempted a world record half-marathon as he carried a 120 lb load.
This track record of extreme challenges explains why Tom Aspinall asked Morgan and no one else. The goal was to find the toughest training possible, and Morgan is the coach at the top of the industry to deliver it.
Inside the “Military Grade” Training Session
Once Aspinall was all geared up, he was put through a series of exercises drawn straight from armed forces fitness tests. Morgan wasted no time in introducing the raw intensity of military PT. The outdoor circuit pushes the 6’5”, 260-pound fighter to do things even his UFC workouts hadn’t prepared him for.
The sequence went as follows:
Weighted Run
Aspinall ran with a heavy sandbag hoisted on one shoulder, which simulates the kind of load carriage soldiers perform with sandbags or casualty dummies.
Sprint Drills
Immediately after the weighted run, he launched into sprints. The goal is to push his cardiovascular capacity to the max.
Loaded Carry
Next came a farmer’s walk-style challenge. Aspinall marched with a weighted rucksack on his back as he carried heavy weight plates in each hand. This test of grip strength and endurance reminds us of the military “YOMP” marches, where troops carry packs and equipment over long distances.
Bodyweight Strength Circuit
The session then moved indoors to the gym. Aspinall tackled heavy deadlifts, then strict pull-ups, and finally a set of push-ups to failure. These exercises are fundamental to military fitness assessments and measure upper body and core strength under fatigue.
According to Morgan, these drills represent “some of the army’s hardest challenges.” That’s why they pushed the UFC champ hard.
Here’s how they tested the UFC champion:
- Aspinall’s legs and lungs were tested by the loaded runs.
- His grip and shoulders burned from lugging the plates.
- Every muscle fibre was engaged by the weightlifting circuit.
Despite the unfamiliar format, Aspinall’s athleticism was unequivocal. Each time he was knocked off balance, he regrouped and kept going, which demonstrates the strength and grit that have made him an elite fighter. By the end, the normally unflappable heavyweight was gasping for air but smiling.
Morgan appeared to be impressed as well. It’s not every day that a civilian can keep up with army-style drills. Aspinall passed the test that Morgan laid out for him, which further reinforced that top-tier athletes can benefit from tactical training.
Fight Fans React to the Crossover Training
The unusual endeavour of a UFC champion doing military drills quickly hooked fans’ attention. For the most part, the fighting community responded with awe and encouragement. Viewers flooded Aspinall’s comment section to voice their amazement at his fitness.
Of course, fight fans also found some light-hearted moments in the footage. Aspinall’s battle with the too-small camo trousers did not go unnoticed. However, the consensus was that a UFC champion going through military training was as impressive as it was entertaining.
Pushing the Limits Ahead of the Next Title Fight
This boot camp-style gauntlet demonstrates that Tom Aspinall clearly will not leave a stone unturned as he prepares to defend his title. In the absence of a scheduled bout in the octagon over the past several months, he found a new arena in which to test himself. Training under Farren Morgan’s watch is not just about building strength. Trainees will fortify mental toughness, learn to perform while exhausted, and adapt to uncomfortable situations.
The experience of Farren Morgan as a military training expert who’s known for getting people through the toughest courses and tests helped Tom Aspinall to harden his body and mind like never before. In the cage, that could translate to an even scarier version of the UK’s reigning king of heavyweights when fight night finally arrives.
