Ciryl Gane has dismissed Tom Aspinall’s claims that he ducked him.
Aspinall is the current UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion, a belt he acquired after knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round at UFC 295 last November. The Brit claimed Gane turned down that fight, allowing him to step in. The win increased Aspinall’s claim for a title shot with the UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who is currently out injured. Aspinall, however, also alleges Gane turned down fights with himself and Curtis Blaydes, who revealed it following his KO win over Jailton Almeida at UFC 299.
Aspinall Reacts
“He’s dismissed me on multiple occasions, and I’m not the first guy he’s dismissed. I’m not the first guy that he’s ducked. It’s out there for people to see. The reason that I got the Pavlovich fight is because Ciryl didn’t want it. He ducked Pavlovich. He then ducked Curtis Blaydes. Curtis Blaydes has been on record saying that. I asked for him years ago. He didn’t want it then. Then I asked for him in Paris. They flew me over; we tried to make that fight. He didn’t want it then, and we’ll see what the UFC wants to do,” Aspinall said
Gane has not fought since losing a first-round submission against Jon Jones last year at UFC 285. The defeat prevented him from becoming the heavyweight champion, as Jones shocked the world after three years out of the sport. It was the second time that Gane had missed out on the heavyweight title. He was knocked out by Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 in 2022.
But he did bounce back from the Jones loss, stopping Serghei Spivac in a second-round TKO win over Serghei Spivac last September. Gane is currently ranked number two in the heavyweight rankings, just behind Aspinall, meaning a win over the Brit puts him with a title shot. The Frenchman now wants to make that fight happen.
Gane Responds
“@AspinallMMA, I never, ever say no to any challenge or any opponent. Blaydes was never an option. They said Pavlovich, I said yes. Don’t worry, I’ll see you in September, stop tripping,” Gane stated
The fight makes sense for both fighters since facing Jones is out of the question. Aspinall had hoped for the UFC to strip Jones following his injury, which prevented his UFC 295 title defense against Stipe Miocic. Dana White confirmed their fight would still go ahead, leaving Aspinall waiting for the title shot. But if he continues to beat the competition around him, it will only be a matter of time before the pressure increases on Jones. Jones is being accused of ducking Aspinall. If Aspinall beats the names that Jones has faced, the fight will get a step closer. Either way, Aspinall is focused on his career.
“Honestly, I don’t spend my days thinking about Jon Jones. On the contrary to what people think, I’m not desperate for it. That fight doesn’t define my career. It would be great, it would be nice, but I’ve got other ways to prove myself. I’m going to be around this sport for at least another five years. At least. Minimum. So it would be great. If I get the fight, fantastic,” Aspinall revealed
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