UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall will make his first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, scheduled for October 25 in Abu Dhabi. The announcement was confirmed by UFC President Dana White during an Instagram Live session on Tuesday afternoon.
The matchup between Aspinall and Gane had been the subject of speculation for some time. Gane hinted at his upcoming fight in a social media post in late June, while Aspinall had repeatedly stated that his next bout was finalized, awaiting only an official declaration. This contest will mark Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense after securing an interim title defense victory over Curtis Blaydes last summer, extending his win streak to three. Gane enters the fight with momentum from a recent controversial split decision win against Alexander Volkov at UFC 310 last December, currently riding a two-fight winning streak.
Alongside the heavyweight title fight, UFC 321 will also feature a key heavyweight clash between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida. Additional bouts on the card include Aleksandar Rakic facing Azamat Murzakanov in a light heavyweight contest and Azat Maksum taking on Mitch Raposo at flyweight.
Tom Aspinall Discusses Time Away from Competition
Despite a year-long break from active competition, Aspinall shared insights on his preparation and mindset during a recent conversation with MMA veteran Stefan Struve for UFC on Eurosport. He acknowledged that while he would have preferred to compete more frequently, he remained fully engaged in his training regimen throughout his downtime.
I’ve just been training non-stop. I’ve been training pretty good. I’ve just been doing what I’m told by the UFC, which is stay ready. I’ve stayed ready for a year now. … To be honest, I’ve had a really good year in my life; it’s been a great year, but as far as professionally, I would have liked to been more active, obviously.
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
With the fight against Gane now confirmed, Aspinall’s extended break from competition has officially come to an end.
Aspinall’s Ambitious Plans to Dominate Heavyweight Rankings
With the showdown against Ciryl Gane confirmed, Aspinall is setting his sights on eliminating the top contenders in the heavyweight division. During an interview with Adam Catterall on One-on-One earlier this month, he outlined his intentions to rapidly climb the rankings by defeating the division’s leading fighters.
I’d like to do 4 in the next 12 months. I don’t know how realistic that is. First of all, there’s not as many of us. If you look at the top ten, I have beaten 6 of them. My goal is to beat ten of the top ten. I wanna beat all ten.
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
My goal is at least three, maybe four between now and the end of ’26.
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
Currently, Aspinall has defeated six out of the top ten contenders, and with a win over Gane, he will be just three victories away from clearing out the heavyweight elite. Remaining hurdles on his path include Waldo Cortes Acosta, Jailton Almeida, and Derrick Lewis.
As UFC 321 approaches, heavyweights like Alexander Volkov, Jailton Almeida, Aleksandar Rakic, Azamat Murzakanov, Azat Maksum, and Mitch Raposo will also contribute to a night filled with intense competition. Aspinall’s upcoming title defense against Gane is expected to be a pivotal moment defining the future of the heavyweight division.