Tom Aspinall may have extra pressure on his shoulders after the vow he made ahead of his UFC heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane.
The first bout in a new era at heavyweight is set to take place in Abu Dhabi this October, as Aspinall headlines UFC 321 against Gane.
Aspinall became undisputed champion when Jon Jones controversially opted to retire in June, and it did not take long for the Englishman to get his wish granted for a quick return to activity following over a year away from the cage.
The matchup brings with it some history, as the champ was vocal in criticizing his challenger for allegedly avoiding past fights. Gane’s team has taken notice of Aspinall’s comments and responded with a warning.
Ciryl Gane’s coach warns Tom Aspinall of total ’embarrassment’ after his fiery remarks
In addition to Aspinall accusing Gane of “ducking” him by turning down four offers in recent years, the Manchester native has referenced the Frenchman’s two failed undisputed title shots.
Reacting to confirmation of his first defense on October 25 for the first time, Aspinall vowed to “get rid” of Gane from the title picture for good.
That threat has not gone down well with Gane’s coach, Fernand Lopez. The MMA Factory founder hit back during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, warning Aspinall that the pressure is now on him to avoid the total ’embarrassment’ that would come with a loss after his brash remarks.
“Him saying that he will retire Ciryl Gane, or he will erase him from the title run, makes sense for me,” Lopez said. “This is fair enough. It’s OK. It’s hard to build the fight in total to clash a little bit.
“But just keep this in mind: Tom Aspinall has more pressure on him than any other fighter has experienced in the last decade. Can you imagine what will happen if Tom Aspinall does not deliver on October 25? That will be beyond an embarrassment.
“This is a lot of pressure that you don’t want to take on your shoulders,” Lopez added.
Tom Aspinall or Ciryl Gane could have their next opponent lined up at UFC 321
When Aspinall and Gane make the walk to the Octagon for the UFC 321 main event, they will do so with the knowledge of who is likely awaiting the victor.
Jailton Almeida was the most vocal heavyweight contender calling to challenge Aspinall in his first defense, but he ultimately did not get the nod from the UFC.
The same goes for Alexander Volkov, whom many had pointed to as deserving of a rematch with Aspinall. Dana White had also promised to take care of him last December, when the Russian was controversially beaten by Gane in a split decision many saw the other way at UFC 310.
Fortunately for both, they won’t have to wait long to stake their claims again. Almeida and Volkov will collide at UFC 321 in a likely title eliminator for the heavyweight gold that will be on the line later in the night.
