Tom Aspinall says he welcomes any attempt by his opponent this weekend, Ciryl Gane, to take their heavyweight clash into the later rounds when they meet at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 25.
The English heavyweight champion returns to defend his title against former interim champion Gane in the main event at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island this weekend. Aspinall, who has rapidly become one of the most dominant finishers in UFC history, has developed a reputation for ending fights in the blink of an eye. He currently holds the record for the shortest average fight time in the promotion’s history, with all but one of his UFC wins coming inside the first round. The only exception came in his 2021 victory over Andrei Arlovski, which ended early in the second.
When asked about Gane’s comments suggesting he plans to drag the fight into “deep waters,” Aspinall laughed off the idea. “He said he’s going to take me into deep waters? Everybody who says the words ‘deep waters’ ends up getting knocked out in the first minute. Go back and check the interviews, it’s always the same. So I’m pretty happy with that,” said Aspinall at Wednesday’s media day.
Gane, a former title challenger and one of the most technically skilled heavyweights in the division, will be looking to reclaim a spot at the top after a mixed run of results in recent years. His slick footwork and composure at range have earned him a reputation as one of the most cerebral fighters at heavyweight, but if the Frenchman’s plan is to test Aspinall’s cardio, the champion says he’s more than ready.
“We joked about Ciryl saying he’ll take me into deep waters, and I said everyone who talks about deep waters gets knocked out in two minutes,” Aspinall continued. “But honestly, I’ve watched a lot of tape on him, probably more than anyone I’ve fought before. Do I think he can take me there? No, not really. It’s not that I think I’m better than anyone; I just believe in what I do, and I’m ready for whatever happens.”
UFC 321 also features a stacked card, including a co-main event between Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba for the vacant women’s strawweight title, along with several rising prospects looking to make their mark on one of the UFC’s biggest events of the year.
