Ciryl Gane questions Tom Aspinall for ‘stupid thing’ in traditional pre-fight faceoff

Former interim UFC heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane doesn’t plan to let Tom Aspinall attempt a pre-fight embrace at UFC 321.

We’re days away from a highly anticipated heavyweight showdown between undisputed UFC champion Tom Aspinall and former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. This will mark Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense after being promoted earlier this summer following Jon Jones’s abrupt retirement.

Aspinall and Gane have been linked to a potential fight for years, stemming from when the two giants rose through the ranks in the heavyweight division. Tensions have ramped up as Aspinall and Gane have accused each other of ducking fight offers.

The UFC 321 headliner features a massive showdown between two of the greatest heavyweights of the modern era. In recent fights, Aspinall has put his hands on his opponent’s shoulders as the referee squares off the fighters inside the Octagon.

Don’t expect the same thing to happen at UFC 321 without significant pushback from Gane.

Ciryl Gane warns Tom Aspinall against testing range in UFC 321 faceoff

In a recent interview with Full Send MMA, Gane was asked about Aspinall’s pre-fight antics.

“It’s a stupid thing. If he wants to have his range, you need to put your hand on the wall, why do you need to put your hand on my shoulder?” Gane said of Aspinall.

“I don’t think he does it [smartly], he’s not smart. If you want to learn about my range, I have to put my hand out, and you’ll have my range.

“Everyone’s like ‘He has high IQ, he’s so smart!’ but he’s so stupid. That’s funny though.”

As of this writing, Aspinall hasn’t responded to Gane’s comments.

Gane will look to prove that the third time’s the charm in his pursuit of UFC heavyweight gold this Saturday, after previous title losses to Jones and Francis Ngannou. He earned the interim belt by finishing Derrick Lewis at UFC 265.