WWE Live landed at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena for the first time on Wednesday night and they had a surprise guest waiting in the wings with them too: none other than local UFC star Tom Aspinall.
It was only back in July that the Manc mixed martial artist was last at Co-op Live for UFC 304, the first sporting event held at the state-of-the-art entertainment venue, where he put in one of the most ruthless displays of the year.
Aspinall not only retained his interim heavyweight title in the highly-anticipated rematch against Curtis Blaydes but he finished off with American inside less than a minute, stunning spectators inside the arena who had stayed up waiting until 4am to watch him.
With that in mind, the global wrestling franchise decided to give the Co-op crowd another chance to see the man himself for a little bit longer.
As you can see, as a fellow fighter and champion at the top of his game, it only felt fitting that Aspinall be welcomed to the ring by the WWE‘s Cody Rhodes and the reaction was as you would expect.
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Getting a much different entrance than his usual cage walk, the 31-year-old from Atherton with Salfordian roots and trained at the likes of Leigh Self Defence Studio got the home fans going and even helped do a bit of promo work in the ring with Rhodes and Austrian wrestler Gunther.
Helping set up for the impending Crown Jewel event – the inaugural new standalone face-off between their in-house Raw and SmackDown brands set to take place in Saudia Arabia – Aspinall did his best to whip up the audience.
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To be honest, no disrespect to the very high-profile wrestlers who landed in 0161 this week, but we think plenty of those in the stands were more buzzing to Aspinall than anyone.
Just listen to that reaction:
Wow, Tom Aspinall showing up at a WWE show is awesome!
While we didn’t get to see the ‘Honey Badger’ get involved in any scraps on the night and his cameo didn’t go on for too long, it’s undeniably cool to see a local athlete once again basking in a much-deserved bit of the spotlight.
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Moreover, the WWE is one of the biggest entertainment industries on the planet, so being given that platform is not only huge for him but for Manchester and the UFC‘s UK audience as a whole.
While Tom has been enjoying a well-earned break following his most recent victory, he did recently confirm that he is “ready to go” as a backup fighter for the upcoming Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic main event on the UFC 309 fight card.
If he were to be roped into the octagon for this one, it would finally see him come against legend Jones and give him a shot at earning the title of undisputed heavyweight champion. Now wouldn’t that be something special for the British fight scene?
There wasn’t too much to watch, but here’s how Tom Aspinall won the belt he brought out at WWE Live in Manchester.
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Danny Jones -
17th October 2024 
