Alex Pereira Believes Ciryl Gane Can Spoil Tom Aspinall’s First Undisputed Title Defense at UFC 321

After holding the interim UFC heavyweight title for over a year, Tom Aspinall is finally set to defend his undisputed belt at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Across the Octagon will be Ciryl Gane, who gets a third chance at gold after falling short against Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 and Jon Jones at UFC 285. Ahead of their clash, Aspinall vowed to shut the Frenchman out of the title picture once and for all. But not everyone agrees. Former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira believes Gane could pose a very different challenge for the Englishman on October 25.

Alex Pereira Predicts Tom Aspinall Will Have a Tough Time Against Ciryl Gane in Abu Dhabi

Tom Aspinall has been nothing short of a phenomenon since arriving in the UFC. Joe Rogan has already hailed him as the next evolution in the heavyweight division, and his record backs it up. An average fight time of just over two minutes, with finishes over six top-10 opponents, the Englishman has wreaked havoc since his arrival. 

His brutal stoppages of Sergei Pavlovich and Curtis Blaydes, combined with Jon Jones’ reluctance to fight him, have only added to his aura of dominance. Still, Pereira isn’t convinced the fight will be another Aspinall demolition. 

The Brazilian, who is set to face Magomed Ankalaev in a rematch at UFC 320 after losing his belt at UFC 313, shared his perspective during a media scrum.

He said, “It’s a tough fight. Tom is a complete fighter, but I do feel like he’s fought a lot of aggressive guys, and I think Gane is a guy who’s gonna do a lot of moving, he’s gonna be a little more cautious, and that moving around a lot might frustrate Tom.”

ALSO READ: Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane’s Coach Engage in a War of Words After the UFC 321 Press Conference

Alex Pereira admits Ciryl Gane presents the most problems for Tom Aspinall compared to the rest of the #UFC heavyweight division

“I do feel like he’s fought a lot of aggressive guys, and I think Gane is a guy who will do a lot of movement.” pic.twitter.com/JJlieeYNQI

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) October 1, 2025

Pereira added that Aspinall may struggle to find the knockout early, which could drag the fight into deeper waters. “First, second, third round, maybe Tom can’t find Ciryl Gane, I think it’s gonna be a different fight.”

For context, Aspinall has never fought past the second round in his MMA career, and some critics have questioned his ability to go the full 25 minutes. UFC 321 will reveal whether he can impose his trademark explosiveness on Gane, or if the Frenchman’s elusive style will force the champion into uncharted territory.

If Aspinall manages to defend his title in Abu Dhabi, a potential superfight with Pereira could be on the horizon. At 38, the Brazilian is already a two-division champion and has the chance to join Randy Couture as the only fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes across multiple reigns.

UFC313 – Pereira v Ankalaev – Las Vegas Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev meet in the octagon for a 5-round main event bout at UFC313 – Pereira vs Ankalaev at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/ABACAPRESS.COM Las Vegas, Nevada LAS VEGAS, NV United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxUK Copyright: xPXxImages/ABACAx

Adding more intrigue, Pereira has previously openly hinted at a move to heavyweight. Ahead of UFC 320, he once again admitted that his time at 205lbs may be limited.

He said, “I really don’t know. We’ll have to see. Obviously, my body gets heavier. I don’t know how long I can cut to 205. We’re just going to have to see and take it fight by fight.”

If Pereira can get past Ankalaev on October 4, the door could open for him to chase history as the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion. For now, though, fans can only wait to see if the stars align for a blockbuster clash between Pereira and Aspinall.