TOM ASPINALL's stunning surge up the heavyweight ranks came to an abrupt and injury-enforced halt last July.
The Atherton assassin was on the brink of mixing it with the elite of the UFC's heavyweight division before the promotion's second visit to London last year.
All that stood between the gentle giant and the cusp of title contention was perennial contender Curtis Blaydes, who entered the lion's den to reignite his own hopes of winning UFC gold.
But his world came crashing down a mere 15 seconds into the O2 Arena tussle when his right knee gave out after Blaydes partially checked a thudding leg kick.
Aspinall knew the journey back to full fitness would be a long and arduous one, although it had a more profound effect on his well-being than he first expected.
The 30-year-old said: "It [was] tough, it's been tough. But it's okay now that I'm back training.
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"The toughest thing for me was not being able to train.
"Because my life is centred around training. Every aspect of my life is linked to me training twice a day.
"And when I've not got that, I'm just a bit lost – to be honest."
The majority of Aspinall's life has been centred around training for competition, whether that be jiu-jitsu tournaments or MMA fights.
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And his stint on the sidelines served as a reminder of how much fighting is, and has been, a massive part of his life.
"I don't have any hobbies," he admitted. "I don't really watch TV too much and I don't really socialise too much.
"Basically, I train and rest. Train [and] sleep.
"I got children so I spend time with the children and that's it.
"I do school runs, I train, I sleep and that's basically my life.
"So when I've not got the training, I've got a lot of free time doing nothing."
Aspinall's mindset drastically improved when he began the start of what proved to be a painstaking rehab.
He said: "As soon as I could get back in the gym, I was all right.
"Even doing rehab, I was going and doing rehab twice a day and keeping to a routine.
"A routine, for me, is very important – it keeps my mind in check.
"When that routine was taken away and for four or five weeks I couldn't walk that was the toughest part for me."
Aspinall's recovery went smoother than expected – paving the way for a return to the O2 a mere 364 days after that fateful night against Blaydes.
Standing between the Team Kaobon ace and returning to the cusp of title contention is MMA and UFC veteran Marcin Tybura.
Tybura is no stranger to spoiling coming-out parties having derailed the Greg Hardy and Maxim Grishin hype trains.
Aspinall has nothing but respect for Polish pounder Tybura – a veteran of 17 UFC outings – but that won't stop him unleashing a year's worth of pent frustration on him.
He said: "I feel unsettled. That's a good word. I don’t feel myself really.
"My spirit is disturbed.
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"I was on a win streak for so long, now that's broken I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove to everybody, especially myself.
"I want to come back and show myself I’m still the future UFC heavyweight champion and I know I can do that. I can’t wait for it."
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