Aspinall Vs. Gane Breakdown

The heavyweight division will see Tom Aspinall make his first official title defense this weekend at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane, as we see how the fight will play out. 

Aspinall was elevated to the full championship status after Jon Jones vacated the belt. For Aspinall, this fight is a chance to prove his reign is legitimate. Aspinall’s recent run of dominance has been nothing short of excellent. The Brit has secured three consecutive first-round finishes. His wins include Marcin Tybura, Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes in July 2024. 

Meanwhile, Gane is back in the championship picture for his third shot, proving his resilience after the setback of his quick submission loss to Jon Jones in March 2023 for the vacant title. Since that disappointment, Gane has gotten victories over Serghei Spivac and Alexander Volkov.

The Approach

Aspinall’s strategy will be to utilize his superior speed, deceptive entries, and grappling advantage to secure an early finish. Aspinall’s dominance stems from his ability to execute sudden, powerful blitzes, forcing opponents into defensive positions where he can unleash his knockout power. Aspinall must constantly feint and change levels, using his excellent boxing to set up his most significant advantage: the takedown. Gane’s struggles against wrestlers, notably his quick submission loss to Jon Jones, provide a clear blueprint. Aspinall will likely throw quick combinations to obscure his intention before shooting a lightning-fast double-leg takedown.

Gane is arguably the most technical and agile striker in the heavyweight division, fighting with exceptional footwork and range management. His primary goal is to frustrate Aspinall by maintaining the distance where the champion’s explosive bursts fall short. Gane will utilize his long jab and frequent lateral movement to force Aspinall to constantly reset his feet and chase, thereby depleting Aspinall’s energy tank. Gane needs to accumulate damage with low kicks and high-volume straight punches, as seen in his win over Alexander Volkov.