Tom Aspinall expressed his dissatisfaction with Ciryl Gane following their controversial bout in Abu Dhabi. The English heavyweight had his aspirations of securing the undisputed heavyweight title thwarted during UFC 321, where the highly anticipated main event against Gane ended in an unfortunate manner. Toward the conclusion of the first round, Gane inadvertently poked Aspinall in the eye, resulting in the Manchester fighter being unable to continue. Referee Jason Herzog ultimately had to wave off the fight, leading to a no contest.
In the aftermath of this incident at Etihad Arena, there seems to be a consensus that an immediate rematch is on the horizon. This sentiment was echoed by UFC President Dana White, who hinted at the possibility of Aspinall vs Gane 2 during his post-fight press conference, further fueling speculation about the future of these two heavyweights.
Amidst the discussions surrounding the rematch, Chael Sonnen, a well-known figure in the MMA community, raised an intriguing point regarding Tom Aspinall's options. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Sonnen suggested that Aspinall could take a bold stance by declining a rematch with Gane. He proposed, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if Tom came out and said…’No, I’m not gonna rematch him. He’s a cheater. Why would I rematch a guy that violated not one of my eyes, but both? I gave him his chance. He chose to cheat and I’m going to move on.’”
Sonnen's comments highlighted the frustration within the MMA community regarding Gane's actions, noting that despite being the one who caused the incident, Gane seemed to emerge from the situation with little accountability. He remarked, “For some reason, Ciryl has come out of this thing with his hands clean. He’s the one that did the poking.”
Adding to the chorus advocating for a rematch, Daniel Cormier, another MMA legend, voiced his opinion following the UFC 321 broadcast. Cormier echoed the sentiment that the fight between Aspinall and Gane must be rebooked, emphasizing the competitiveness of their initial round. “I think they have to rebook it,” Cormier remarked when asked about the next steps for the promotion. “I mean, Tom Aspinall got poked in the eyes on both sides. … Ciryl Gane, to that point, was fighting a great first round.”
He further elaborated that the fight showcased the skill and talent of the two best heavyweights in the world, stating, “It was competitive. And it looked like we were watching the two best heavyweights in the world. I wanna see them fight again, as early as December if we can. I know that November’s done…”
As the MMA community eagerly awaits updates, the potential for Aspinall vs Gane 2 looms large, promising to deliver the high-stakes action fans desire.
