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Economic Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Economic Times
Tom Aspinall's first title defense is a monster clash with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321
Tom Aspinall face Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, confrimed by Dana Image via Getty Titanic fights have long characterized the UFC heavyweight division, and the main event of UFC 321 is expected to carry on that tradition. Former interim champion Ciryl Gane and recently crowned undisputed champion Tom Aspinall will square off in a high-stakes match at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 25. This bout has the potential to change the heavyweight ranks' power dynamics in addition to being Aspinall's first title defense. On a surge of energy, Aspinall (15-3) makes his way into the Octagon. The British powerhouse has become one of the sport's most thrilling finishers thanks to his lightning-fast hands, precise boxing, and unexpected agility for a heavyweight. He has won 12 of his 15 fights via knockout, and he hasn't advanced past the first round since early 2021. He defeated Curtis Blaydes in the first round of his most recent fight at UFC 304, a decisive victory that solidified his place as a dominant force. When then-champion Jon Jones formally announced his retirement, Aspinall was promoted from interim to undisputed champion after months of waiting for a unification fight. Though many fans wanted to see the Brit clash with Jones, the bout never materialized, making Gane the most logical and deserving next Gane (13-2), meanwhile, is no stranger to high-level French striker, who was once an interim champion himself, has demonstrated some of the most technically sophisticated stand-up in heavyweight history. He has defeated fighters like Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Alexander Volkov thanks to his ability to outstrike opponents with precise striking and his middleweight-like footwork and distance management. However, there have been conflicting responses to Gane's recent performances, particularly his contentious decision win over Volkov at UFC 310. Gane's grappling shortcomings have frequently been criticized, especially following his defeat by Jon Jones, who submitted him in the opening round. Aspinall, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with a well-rounded style that can reveal weaknesses in the ground, might use that weakness as a major their history of animosity—Aspinall had previously charged Gane with avoiding a fight earlier this year—the two are now headed for conflict. In addition to the clash of styles, the fight has sparked a lot of interest in the MMA community because it marks the beginning of a new era in the heavyweight division following make the title picture even more intriguing, the UFC 321 card will also include a heavyweight eliminator between Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov as the co-main event. The winner of Aspinall vs. Gane might find themselves at the epicenter of a golden age for the division, with contenders circling and a new generation of heavyweights emerging. Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane provides all the elements that fans desire in a sport that thrives on the unexpected: strength, skill, story, and repercussion. The main event of UFC 321 might be remembered as one of the pivotal bouts of 2025, regardless of whether it ends in a vicious finish or a five-round chess match.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tom Aspinall's first title defense is a monster clash with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321
Titanic fights have long characterized the UFC heavyweight division , and the main event of UFC 321 is expected to carry on that tradition. Former interim champion Ciryl Gane and recently crowned undisputed champion Tom Aspinall will square off in a high-stakes match at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 25. This bout has the potential to change the heavyweight ranks' power dynamics in addition to being Aspinall's first title defense. On a surge of energy, Aspinall (15-3) makes his way into the Octagon. The British powerhouse has become one of the sport's most thrilling finishers thanks to his lightning-fast hands, precise boxing, and unexpected agility for a heavyweight. He has won 12 of his 15 fights via knockout, and he hasn't advanced past the first round since early 2021. He defeated Curtis Blaydes in the first round of his most recent fight at UFC 304, a decisive victory that solidified his place as a dominant force. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Digital Marketing Data Science Others healthcare Public Policy Operations Management Design Thinking MCA Cybersecurity Product Management MBA PGDM others CXO Data Analytics Management Healthcare Leadership Project Management Finance Data Science Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategy Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Social Media Marketing & Advertising Data Analytics & Measurement Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Digital Marketing Strategies Customer Journey Mapping Paid Advertising Campaign Management Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Digital Marketing and Analytics Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details When then-champion Jon Jones formally announced his retirement, Aspinall was promoted from interim to undisputed champion after months of waiting for a unification fight. Though many fans wanted to see the Brit clash with Jones, the bout never materialized, making Gane the most logical and deserving next opponent. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cargo Ship Meets Pirates - Watch What the Captain Does Next! Tips and Tricks Undo Ciryl Gane (13-2), meanwhile, is no stranger to high-level competition. The French striker, who was once an interim champion himself, has demonstrated some of the most technically sophisticated stand-up in heavyweight history. He has defeated fighters like Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Alexander Volkov thanks to his ability to outstrike opponents with precise striking and his middleweight-like footwork and distance management. However, there have been conflicting responses to Gane's recent performances, particularly his contentious decision win over Volkov at UFC 310. Live Events Gane's grappling shortcomings have frequently been criticized, especially following his defeat by Jon Jones, who submitted him in the opening round. Aspinall, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with a well-rounded style that can reveal weaknesses in the ground, might use that weakness as a major weapon. Despite their history of animosity—Aspinall had previously charged Gane with avoiding a fight earlier this year—the two are now headed for conflict. In addition to the clash of styles, the fight has sparked a lot of interest in the MMA community because it marks the beginning of a new era in the heavyweight division following Jones. To make the title picture even more intriguing, the UFC 321 card will also include a heavyweight eliminator between Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov as the co-main event. The winner of Aspinall vs. Gane might find themselves at the epicenter of a golden age for the division, with contenders circling and a new generation of heavyweights emerging. Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane provides all the elements that fans desire in a sport that thrives on the unexpected: strength, skill, story, and repercussion. The main event of UFC 321 might be remembered as one of the pivotal bouts of 2025, regardless of whether it ends in a vicious finish or a five-round chess match.
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Leon Edwards targets Ian Machado Garry next: 'That's the fight I've mentioned to the UFC'
Leon Edwards is looking to re-enter the UFC title picture by taking on a top rising welterweight. Edwards (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) lost his welterweight title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304, then suffered a dominant submission loss to Sean Brady in the UFC Fight Night 255 headliner in March. He is on the first losing skid of his career. Ian Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) was suggested to Edwards for his next fight, and "Rocky" revealed that that's the fight he's been asking for. Machado Garry has recently taken some shots at Edwards, where he questioned his desire to continue fighting. "That would be a good fight," Edwards told Sky Sports of Machado Garry. "Definitely. That's the fight I've mentioned to the UFC. I think that would be a great fight to get back in there. So, hopefully we can get that one done this year." Edwards watched Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) dethrone Muhammad to become champion at UFC 315, which he admits was tough to watch. "100 percent, definitely," Edwards said. "I thought that was a good fight, that was a decent fight. Jack did what he needed to do to win. I'm looking forward to seeing Jack now and Islam (Makhachev). That'll be a good one." The former champion hasn't given up on reclaiming his welterweight title. "I think Jack is what? (28), I'm 33 so, I feel like there's time for us to meet one day," Edwards said. "He's got good boxing. I got good overall striking. I think it would be a good fight."
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tom Aspinall's dad 'can't think of a worse way' UFC could've announced son as champ
Tom Aspinall's dad thinks his son deserved better from the UFC. Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) was promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Jon Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) retired and relinquished his belt. The announcement came from Dana White during the UFC on ABC 8 post-fight press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Aspinall's dad, Andy Aspinall, revealed that he was informed of the news by Hunter Campbell after White's announcement, which left him baffled. "I found out from Tom," Aspinall said in an interview with Uncrowned MMA. "At the same time, Tom was calling me to tell me that Hunter had told him. Hunter text me saying, 'Dana has just announced that Tom is the champ,' which was the same message he had sent Tom. I sent a message back to Hunter saying, 'I can't think of a worse way you could have done it.' I just think it's – I don't know if pathetic is the word, I just feel they didn't think about it. "For me, the heavyweight championship of an organization is quite a big thing, and I don't think Tom deserved to find out at a press conference in the middle of the night. I can't think of a worse way to do it, maybe if they had woke us up to tell us it would have been worse. We just happened to be awake at the time. It's poor man management of Jones and Tom. I like the personnel at the UFC, but for me, they just don't do things right sometimes. Of course it's a massively successful business, but I think something like that deserved more thought after everything we've been through with this." Almost two years have passed since Aspinall claimed the interim heavyweight title with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. He even had to defend his interim belt when he stopped Curtis Blaydes in the first round at UFC 304 last July. It's been a long wait for Aspinall, who constantly heard assurances from the UFC that the title-unification bout with Jones would happen – until news of Jones' retirement emerged this past Saturday.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Time of India
Jon Jones UFC retirement raises eyebrows as hit and run charge resurfaces in court
Jon Jones UFC retirement raises eyebrows as hit and run charge resurfaces in court (Image via Getty) UFC legend Jon Jones just made headlines again, but not for a fight. A surprise announcement about his retirement came out on Saturday, but that's not all. Court documents now show that the former champion is facing a criminal charge from an incident that happened months ago. The details are shocking and involve a crash, a mysterious phone call, and strange behavior after the accident. Jon Jones Faces Criminal Complaint From February Crash After UFC Retirement News Charged with a misdemeanor in New Mexico for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident, former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is now accused. Though the event purportedly occurred in Albuquerque, New Mexico, back on February 21, 2025, the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court filed this charge on Tuesday, June 18, 2025. The Albuquerque Journal reports that when police arrived late at night, they found a woman seated in the front passenger seat following a collision. Though she said she had no waist-down apparel and police said Jon Jones had been driving, she escaped the site right after the collision. The woman also told police later that she had been drinking alcohol and using mushrooms while at Jones's house. She said she remembered changing clothes at his place and then somehow ending up in the crashed car. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AudioNova leder efter testpersoner i Koge til at teste det usynlige høreapparat Audionova Lær mere Undo She claimed she didn't know how she got there. A police aide at the scene spoke to a man believed to be Jon Jones when the woman called him from the car. That guy sounded drunk and declined to state his name. The complaint further charges that he stated he would use force and violence. The police said that Jon Jones was interviewed days later. He called her after the accident and admitted she had left his residence after drinking. He also said he was scared when he picked up the phone and someone else started shouting and swearing. Court records indicate the crash occurred on February 21; the accusation was officially recorded on February 24; the complaint was at last filed in mid-June 2025. Jon Jones Confirms Retirement Days Before Court Hearing Set For July 24 Just before this criminal charge became public, Jon Jones announced his retirement from UFC on Saturday, June 22, 2025. This came during UFC 304, where UFC President Dana White confirmed that Tom Aspinall would now be the official heavyweight champion. Jones shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) that said, 'This decision comes after a lot of reflection… I'll cherish every memory, the highs and lows, and the lessons they brought.' Jones's bond arraignment hearing is now scheduled for July 24, 2025, in Bernalillo County. Also Read: Could Tom Aspinall Have Been The Reason Behind Jon Jones' Early Retirement? For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
