Tom Aspinall, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, is preparing to defend his title at UFC 321 on Saturday night against former interim champion Ciryl Gane. Aspinall expresses a heightened awareness of the sport’s inherent dangers, acknowledging that stepping into the Octagon could be life-threatening. In a recent interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, he shared, “Essentially, you’re putting your life on the line in front of millions of people… It’s a dangerous sport. The idea is to hurt the other person.”
The match marks Aspinall’s first title defense since he claimed the heavyweight title following Jon Jones’ retirement in June. With an impressive record of 8-1 in the UFC and known for securing most of his victories in the first round, Aspinall also holds the title for the shortest average fight time in UFC history.
While he doesn’t see himself as the face of the sport quite yet, Aspinall takes pride in his journey to the top. “I keep telling myself that this is where I wanted to be, the first time I put the gloves on,” he noted. Aspinall’s growing status within the sport could even place him in discussions about potential fights at significant events, including President Trump’s proposed UFC fight at the White House. He expressed willingness to participate in such an event, “If I’m still the champion by then, whoever the number one contender is, that’s who I’ll fight.”
As the anticipation builds for his bout against Gane at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Aspinall is focusing on staying calm and collected. “As my emotions are building up, I have to like, try and calm myself down a little bit,” he said, underlining the importance of maintaining focus as fight night approaches. Aspinall’s resilience and determination to remain at the forefront of the heavyweight division reflect both his commitment to the sport and his readiness to embrace the challenges ahead.