UK professional mixed martial artist Tom Aspinall finally gets his shot at undisputed prominence on October 25 in Abu Dhabi. This will be their first actual meeting in the Octagon, despite being scheduled three previous times. Gane earns his third crack at the title after consecutive losses to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones in earlier bids.
Their first face‑off in Paris carried edge and intensity. Gane’s hometown crowd booed Aspinall vocally, forcing him to bite back with a composed “Ciryl, you do your thing… I’ll just chill.” At the press conference, Aspinall didn’t mince words. “I can knock anybody out, Ciryl’s no exception,” he declared, reflecting his confidence and readiness. While Gane accepted criticism over his grappling, he insisted he’s addressed those gaps and will show improved skills on October 25.
The odds favor Aspinall quite clearly. Most sportsbooks opened with him at around -298, while Gane sat at +240. Betting experts leaned toward Aspinall to win inside 1.5 rounds. That prediction rests on more than just hype—his pace, ability to close distance, and consistent takedown threat match up well against Gane’s slower output and historically shaky 43 percent takedown defense. All of these stats come into play when betting sites make their predictions, and Brett Curtis suggests fans and bettors visit Esports Insider.com for more info about bonus types, payment methods, and the upcoming matches.
Aspinall is elusive, especially for someone his size, and doesn’t give many easy openings. His issue is whether he can survive early pressure long enough to drag the fight into later rounds—where his cardio and striking IQ become more useful weapons. If he can do that, things might get interesting.
Outside of the main event, UFC 321 has real meat on the bones. Another upcoming battle where Volkov VS Almeida is a likely title eliminator. Volkov has seen a resurgence lately, while Almeida remains a tricky puzzle few have solved. Elsewhere, Mizuki Inoue returns after more than two years away to face Jacqueline Amorim in a fight that quietly holds real implications for the strawweight division.
Aspinall, though, doesn’t seem interested in long fights. His finishes often come quickly, sometimes even before he gets touched. He doesn’t posture or overextend. He explodes and resets. That kind of sharp economy, especially when paired with grappling that’s better than most in the top five, is what separates him right now. He’s not reckless. He’s clinical, and that’s more dangerous.
Marcin Tybura, a heavyweight veteran, summed up the state of the division last week in an interview: “Right now, I don’t see anyone beating Tom.” It’s a sentiment that might echo more widely than expected. He’s not alone in thinking Aspinall’s run may just be beginning.
Still, there’s always room for a twist. Gane’s seen pressure before. He stood in front of Ngannou and Jones. He’s had to answer tough questions in the cage and outside of it. The noise around his focus—his time spent playing basketball or football between fights, for instance—might be a distraction, or just background static. Either way, he doesn’t flinch in the spotlight, and he’ll bring his best version, because there’s no room left for anything less.
