Aspinall to Defend UFC Heavyweight Title Against Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi

Tom Aspinall will make his first defense as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion when he faces Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 321 on Oct. 25 at Etihad Arena, UFC CEO Dana White announced Tuesday.

Aspinall, who last fought in July 2024, earned a dominant first-round TKO victory over Curtis Blaydes to retain his interim title. The 15-month layoff followed as Aspinall awaited a unification bout with then-champion Jon Jones, who ultimately retired. Shortly after his retirement, Jones teased a return, but the title had already been awarded to Aspinall, officially crowning him as the undisputed champion.

With the heavyweight landscape shifting, Aspinall now turns his attention to Gane, who will get his third shot at undisputed gold. The Frenchman previously fell short in title bouts against Francis Ngannou in 2022 and Jones in 2023. Gane has since rebounded with back-to-back victories, including a narrow decision win over Alexander Volkov in December.

The championship clash headlines the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi for a pay-per-view card, with additional bouts for UFC 321 expected to be announced in the coming weeks.