UFC 321: The Tom Aspinall era gets underway

Tom Aspinall defends his heavyweight title for the first time as he takes on Cyril Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.

It may have been a long, unusual road to becoming a champion, but it is where most fans imagined Aspinall would be.

After becoming interim champion in 2023, Aspinall became one of the few fighters to defend an interim title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

Earlier this year, Jon Jones, who was the champion, retired from the sport, making the English fighter the champion.

A unique set of skills for the champion, Aspinall's opponents rarely make it out of the first round.

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His speed, combined with his boxing and wrestling, has been too much for those standing across from him in the Octagon.

Hoping to cause an upset on Saturday is Cyril Gane, in what will be the French fighter's third attempt at a title.

His first attempt was a disappointing decision defeat to Francis Ngnnou, where he was outwrestled in the championship rounds.

At UFC 285, Jones made light work of Gane to secure a first-round submission.

On the feet, Gane is one of the most talented fighters in the sport. However, his wrestling has been a clear weakness, and there are not many better to exploit it than Aspinall.

The start of this fight will be crucial. Aspinall will come out with everything he has to put Gane on the back foot and on the ground.

Gane has to dig deep and keep his distance early to get this fight into the later rounds, where nobody has seen Aspinall.

In the co-main event at UFC 321, there will be a new women's strawweight champion as Virna Jandiroba takes on Mackenzie Dern for the vacant title.

As Zhang Weili moves up to challenge for the flyweight title, both of these