The reigning UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis can’t hide his excitement for the upcoming heavyweight showdown between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane, set to headline UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25. For du Plessis, this isn’t just another title defense — it’s the long-awaited return of one of the sport’s most dominant heavyweights.
Aspinall will make his first defense of the undisputed UFC heavyweight title since being officially promoted following Jon Jones’ retirement in June. The British star first captured the interim belt at UFC 295 with a stunning 69-second knockout over Sergei Pavlovich — a performance that left the MMA world buzzing. He followed it up with another quick finish at UFC 304, dismantling Curtis Blaydes in just one minute.
After a brief layoff, fans are thrilled to see Aspinall back — and du Plessis is right there with them.
“I’m just so happy that it’s actually going to happen,” du Plessis told Fight Forecast. “All the hype is real when it comes to Aspinall. I don’t think there’s a heavyweight in the world that can even compete with him — on the feet or on the ground. He’s a complete fighter.”
On the other side, Ciryl Gane is entering his third attempt to claim the undisputed title. The French striker came close twice before — first losing to Francis Ngannou and then being submitted by Jon Jones in just over two minutes. Still, his smooth movement and elite striking make him a dangerous opponent for anyone in the division.
Gane earned this title shot after a controversial decision win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310, a result that many fans and analysts debated online. Now, he’ll look to finally cement his place atop the division.
Du Plessis, however, believes the outcome is clear.
“Both of them move like middleweights,” he said. “But Aspinall just pulls the trigger better. We’ve seen Gane let fights slip away when they go long. Aspinall looks sharp, hungry, and ready.”
As always in the heavyweight division, one punch can change everything — but du Plessis is betting that Aspinall’s momentum, skill, and confidence will be too much to handle.
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