Ex-UFC heavyweight thinks Tom Aspinall needs statement-making win at UFC 321

One former UFC heavyweight feels Tom Aspinall needs to deliver a spectacular performance at UFC 321.

Gane will challenge Aspinall for the UFC Heavyweight Championship on Saturday. The title fight will headline UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Aspinall is currently a sizable favorite, but could he be falling into a trap?

MMAJunkie.com got a chance to speak to Stefan Struve, who said he thinks Aspinall needs a stellar performance for the good of the heavyweight division.

“Yes, (Aspinall has to make a statement) because Jones beat Gane,” Struve recently told MMA Junkie. “If he loses to Gane, it’s going to be used against him. But I think he has the skill set to beat Ciryl Gane. It’s going to be very interesting because in my opinion, these are the two best-moving heavyweights ever in the UFC, probably.

“They’re used to fighting guys with a lot of power that stand still in front of them and are an easier target with their speed, with their movement and the way they want to set up their shots. It’s definitely very interesting to see how Tom is going to do with Ciryl around him in the first and second round when he’s throwing that jab and the low kicks and everything. Is Tom going to wrestle? Is he going to strike with him.”

Gane recently told Newsweek Sports that he feels Aspinall’s camp might be overlooking him.

“When you look at the ranking, when you look at my career, I think he’s underestimating me,” Gane said. “I’m not sure. I think it’s not a good way to do that. I think maybe it’s for the media to create something, but I think when you’re on a high level, you can’t talk like that, man. No sense. If you like to say that, maybe it’s to bring him more confidence, maybe to [scare] me, or maybe just for the social media. If he believes in this with all of his team, that’s not good for him.”

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