Former UFC middleweight king and veteran analyst Michael Bisping has given his take on the UFC 321 main event, where Tom Aspinall defends his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. The fight headlines the card this Saturday in Abu Dhabi, marking Aspinall’s first defense since being officially promoted from interim to undisputed champion.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Bisping praised both fighters for being among the most athletic heavyweights in UFC history but ultimately backed the champion to close the show inside the distance.
“Tom Aspinall is a freak of nature. He’s gigantic for the weight division. He’s agile; he’s quick; he’s fast; he’s explosive; he’s well-rounded and all that stuff,” Bisping said.
A Clash of Styles — Speed Meets Skill
According to Bisping, Gane poses an unusual challenge because he can match many of Aspinall’s strengths while bringing his own polished striking pedigree.
“He’s going up against Ciryl Gane, and here’s where it gets interesting because Gane can match him for all those physical attributes,” Bisping explained. “He’s just as fast. He’s probably lighter on the feet. He’s probably a better kickboxer, probably a little more graceful, probably a little bit more fluent on the feet. Of course, this isn’t a kickboxing fight, though. It is a mixed martial arts contest.”
Bisping expects Gane to rely on movement, keeping range and avoiding grappling exchanges, but he emphasized that the path of least resistance for Aspinall lies on the mat.
The Path to Victory
“Can he (Aspinall) catch Ciryl Gane? Yes. Of course he can. Can he take him down? 100 percent, but the big question is if Tom catches him, if he takes him down, can Ciryl get back to his feet,” Bisping said. “There’s a good possibility.”
While Aspinall’s knockout power is well known, Bisping reminded viewers that the British champion also possesses elite grappling skills and a sharp ground game — tools that could tilt the matchup in his favor.
“Will Tom even try to do that? On his record, 15 wins, 12 knockouts, 3 submissions. First and foremost, Tom likes knocking people out, but the easiest path to victory is of course to take him down.”
“Tom’s got the athleticism, and he’s got the speed. I do expect him to get the takedown and I do think he gets the stoppage,” Bisping continued. “Ultimately I think Tom Aspinall gets it done. It will be a stoppage.”
This fight represents the next evolution in the heavyweight division — a matchup between two of the fastest and most technically refined big men in the sport. Aspinall enters with an 8-1 record inside the UFC and a 15-3 mark overall. His last outing saw him finish Curtis Blaydes in just one round to avenge his earlier injury loss.
Meanwhile, Ciryl Gane, the former interim titleholder, comes into the bout riding back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkov and Serghei Spivac. Despite being one of the most gifted strikers in the division, Gane has fallen short both times he’s fought for undisputed gold — losses to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones still lingering as motivation.
Both fighters have nine combined wins over the next 10 heavyweights ranked beneath them, emphasizing just how far ahead of the division’s pack they are. Saturday’s main event will determine who stands as the true top man among the new era of agile, tactical heavyweights.
