Tom Aspinall asserts that he possesses a significant edge over Ciryl Gane and his heavyweight counterparts, primarily due to his brief but decisive performances inside the Octagon.
As he prepares for his first title defense at UFC 321 in the Middle East, Aspinall, the reigning heavyweight champion, is set to face former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. This event marks Aspinall`s return to action after more than a year, following an extended period linked to former champion Jon Jones.
The British fighter expresses confidence in overcoming his French opponent, highlighting what he perceives as a crucial advantage against his peers.
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Aspinall`s Unique Edge: Minimal Octagon Exposure
With an impressive average fight time of just over two minutes, Aspinall notably secured a swift victory against Curtis Blaydes in their rematch last summer, settling their previous encounter in a mere 60 seconds.
Aspinall contends that the scarcity of footage showcasing his full capabilities – a direct result of his rapid finishes – provides him with a “massive advantage” not only against Gane but also against future contenders for his heavyweight championship.
“If I can go through my career and nobody is seeing anything, that’s ideal for me because each long fight, the opponent gets to see more and more,” Aspinall shared with RMC Sport. “And right now, I’ve got a lot of UFC fights, this is my 10th UFC fight, but people have only seen 10–20% of what I can actually do. And that is just a massive advantage — to be honest, that’s one of the biggest advantages I’ve got, that nobody knows what I can do.”
Aspinall Questions Gane`s Focus on Acting
Ciryl Gane, in the lead-up to his championship challenge against Aspinall, has faced scrutiny regarding his recent involvement in film projects.
Gane appeared as Bastien in the movie KO, released earlier in the summer, and also featured alongside Gerard Butler in Den of Thieves 2, which premiered at the beginning of the year.
Aspinall, subtly critiquing the former interim champion, stated that his unwavering dedication to fighting would lead him to decline even a substantial payment for a film role.
“I wouldn’t do a Netflix documentary for $50 million while I’m still actively fighting,” Aspinall declared. “No chance, you couldn’t pay me enough money to do it. [I’m] 100% committed to my craft. 100%.”