Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has detailed the highly anticipated heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, predicting the British champion will secure victory through aggressive early pressing and finishing power.
Aspinall will defend his undisputed UFC heavyweight championship for the first time against former interim champion Gane on October 25, 2025 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The matchup represents a clash between two of the most technically skilled heavyweights in UFC history, with both fighters known for speed and agility that are unusual in their weight class.
Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane at UFC 321
“Tom doesn’t play the feel-you-out game. He goes after it. The longer the fight goes on, the more dangerous Gane becomes with his knees, elbows, side and side kicks. But Tom’s knockout power and aggressiveness make it a tough fight to call.”
Aspinall has the shortest average fight time in UFC history: two minutes and two seconds. He has defeated every opponent in his UFC career, compiling an 8-1 record octagon with his only loss coming via injury stoppage against Curtis Blaydes in 2022. The 32-year-old British fighter has not competed beyond the first round in his last six UFC appearances.
Former UFC champion Kamaru Usman explains why Tom Aspinall will secure an early knockout at UFC 321
Gane presents a different challenge than Aspinall’s previous opponents. The Frenchman comes from a Muay Thai background and demonstrates exceptional striking versatility with accurate kicks, knees and elbows. His eye-catching statistics show that he makes 5.26 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 61 percent, while absorbing only 2.23 strikes per minute. The 35-year-old has competed in multiple five-round championship fights, gaining experience in deep waters that Aspinall has yet to navigate.
Usman identified a potential vulnerability that could be decisive in the fight. Despite his striking excellence, Gane has shown weaknesses in wrestling exchanges, especially evident in his submission loss Jon Jones at UFC 285 in March 2023. Jones knocked out Gane within the first minute, submitting him via guillotine choke at 2:04 of the opening round.
“I have to go with Tom. His agility, knockout power, takedown accuracy – all 100%. Has he gone three or five rounds yet? That is the question. His strength is both his gift and can burn him if it goes on for long. But the wrestling for Gane isn’t entirely there to stop Tom.”
The statistical evidence supports Usman’s assessment of Aspinall’s wrestling superiority. Aspinall maintains perfect takedown accuracy and 100 percent takedown defense throughout his UFC career. His wrestling skills included multiple submission wins, most notably a first round match armbar from Alexander Volkov in 2022. Gane’s takedown defense is around 44 percent, well below heavyweight average.
Aspinall’s physical properties contribute to its effectiveness. He lands 8.07 significant strikes per minute, the highest in UFC heavyweight history. His knockdown average of 4.09 per 15 minutes represents the best mark in the history of the heavyweight division. The champion has only spent one second on the bottom position during his entire UFC stint, demonstrating his ability to avoid compromising positions.
Gane enters UFC 321 looking for his third chance to capture undisputed heavyweight gold after previous failed attempts against Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 and Jones at UFC 285. He rebounded with back-to-back wins over Serghei Spivac and Alexander Volkov, although his win over Volkov sparked controversy.
The championship fight is the headline of UFC 321, which also features a vacant women’s strawweight title fight between Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern in the co-main event. Bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov faces Mario Bautista on the main card, while Alexander Volkov meets Jailton Almeida in a heavyweight bout.
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