UFC Freedom 250 saw Ciryl Gane capture interim heavyweight gold for a second time, stopping Alex Pereira in the second round of the co-main event. For the unversed, Pereira had moved up to 265 pounds in pursuit of his dream of becoming the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion, but that ambition came crashing down against the Frenchman. And it’s safe to say undisputed heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was paying close attention.
Although the Englishman was not invited to the historic White House event, he watched the fight from home and later shared his thoughts on the outcome. While Gane delivered a statement-making performance, Aspinall, like many MMA fans, couldn’t ignore what appeared to be several elbows and punches landing to the back of Pereira’s head during the finishing sequence.
Gane continued his assault after dropping Pereira, unloading a barrage of strikes that forced the referee Herb Dean to step in and halt the contest before the Brazilian could absorb any further damage. Reacting on his YouTube channel, Aspinall said, “[The elbows] look a bit illegal. They look very illegal. What is going on? Dropped him with a jab, and he’s swinging now, trying to finish him. He looked good. I have to watch that again. It looked like there was a lot of illegal elbows going on, illegal punches, but generally, he looked good.”
Aspinall also felt Pereira never looked comfortable in his heavyweight debut, suggesting the extra 40lbs weight may have affected the former champion’s performance. The Englishman added, “[Pereira] just didn’t really seem to get going, did he? He just looked like a bit stiff and reserved from the beginning. I don’t know if he was trying to feel his way into the fight or what, but he just never seemed to … he looked slow, but he’s not a particularly fast light heavyweight.”
The result has now set the stage for a heavyweight title unification clash between Aspinall and Gane. Following his victory, the Frenchman called for a shot at the undisputed championship in front of his home crowd at UFC Paris, which is scheduled to take place at the Accor Arena on September 5. Aspinall appeared more than willing to accept the challenge, even if it meant defending his title in enemy territory. “Paris in September? I’ll do that. Let me know. I don’t mind. I’ll go to Paris. Let me know. I’ll be there.”
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As the story goes, the heavyweight division appeared poised to enter a new era following Jon Jones’ retirement and Aspinall’s promotion to undisputed champion. However, what was expected to be Aspinall’s triumphant return after a 14-month layoff instead ended in controversy at UFC 321. At the 4:35 mark of the opening round, an accidental double eye poke from Gane left the champion unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to halt the action.
Despite being granted nearly four minutes to recover and undergoing examinations from two cageside physicians, Aspinall informed officials that his vision remained severely compromised and that he could not continue. As a result, the bout was ruled a no-contest, with Aspinall retaining his heavyweight title under unfortunate circumstances. The fallout from the fight proved even more concerning. Aspinall was later diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and subsequently underwent surgery on both eyes, casting significant doubt over his immediate future in the sport.
Fortunately for the champion, his recovery appears to be progressing well. Aspinall has seemingly returned to full-contact training and sparring while also securing a new management deal with Eddie Hearn. Even so, there remains no official timeline for his return to the Octagon.
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That uncertainty has not stopped fans from speculating. With Gane now holding interim heavyweight gold and openly calling for a title fight in Paris on September 5, many are hoping Aspinall will be healthy enough to accept the challenge. If the Englishman is cleared in time, a showdown between the two heavyweights could become one of the biggest fights of the year and finally settle the unfinished business stemming from their controversial first meeting in Abu Dhabi.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.