Dancing Bears: UFC 321 Main Event Preview and Main Card Picks
October 24th, 2025, 9:00 PM ET
Written by Danny Varano
UFC 321 Main Card is Live on Saturday at 2:00 PM ET
All odds provided by ESPN Bet
(Main card picks listed at the bottom of the article)
UFC 321 Main Event Preview
There can only be one most dangerous man on the planet. In just a single day’s time, the world will know his name.
If size equates to lethality, and if the UFC is the utmost prestigious pool of combat sports talent, then, effectively, the promotion’s heavyweight champion is the scariest individual walking the earth.
This Saturday, live from Abu Dhabi, the heavyweight title, and the claim to the baddest man alive, is up for the taking. At UFC 321, current heavyweight king Tom Aspinall will confront his first contending threat. Opposingly, preeminent challenger Ciryl Gane plots to supplant the throne.
Over the past year, the UFC’s heftiest division has progressed rather slowly. Although fans have witnessed a handful of bouts between budding competitors, the last battle for heavyweight gold came nearly a year ago. Moreover, the aforementioned title contest contained neither of the fighters headlining this weekend’s card.
Last November, Jon Jones, the man many profess to be the greatest athlete in UFC history, reclaimed the organization’s heaviest belt after defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. The clash between the two legends had been promised long in advance. However, by the time of its occurrence, fans and pundits doubted whether the 40-year-old Miocic was a rightful title candidate.
Alternatively, prevailing thoughts suggested Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall were the merited pairing. At the time, the English Aspinall wore the interim belt. The man from Manchester had steamrolled through the division, eliminating a slew of heavyweights each in under two rounds. Months prior to the heavyweight title match at UFC 309, Aspinall defended his interim belt at UFC 304. Yet, he remained sidelined from undisputed contention.
The UFC followed through on the obligation of the meeting between Jones and Miocic. Heading into the bout, it seemed clear that the victor’s spoils would consist of both a gold strap and a future fight with Tom Aspinall. However, following his victory, Jones continued to dismiss a duel with the youthful Aspinall. Jones has since retired and unretired, but a prospective return to competition is indefinite.
The Jones vs. Aspinall fight will perhaps be remembered as the greatest matchup to never materialize. Nevertheless, spinning circumstances in a positive light, Jones’s departure officially kicked off the delayed reign of Tom Aspinall.
Many of the finest minds in mixed martial arts project the English fighter to become the greatest heavyweight to ever step foot in the octagon. This past June, Aspinall was officially named the undisputed champ. His clash with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 will mark his first defense since receiving the distinguished label.
In spite of the lofty expectations tied to Aspinall, Gane is by no means a lousy assailant. The Frenchman has shared a parallel ascent to his upcoming opponent. The two Europeans entered the UFC as rather young heavyweight prospects. Each quickly cemented themselves as formidable contenders by accumulating impressive win streaks (seven consecutive victories for Gane, and five straight for Aspinall).
In addition to similarities in their career trajectories, the pair are very much alike in their fighting styles. Aspinall and Gane represent the emergence of an evolved form of heavyweight combatants. Both men are extremely fleet of foot, particularly for their burly builds. They appear to move not as bulky heavyweights, but more so like spry welterweights.
In previous brawls, the Englishman and Frenchman frustrated their respective adversaries with speed and agility. As the twitchiest athletes ever in their division, a dance between Aspinall and Gane has been highly anticipated since their arrival to the UFC. The matchup forecasts to be an entertaining skirmish of akin abilities.
Fight Keys for Gane
In regards to the underdog, Gane will rely upon his Muay Thai expertise. The French fighter thrives when fighting from the outside, maintaining distance with his arsenal of kicks.
He often deploys both an orthodox and southpaw stance. However, it may be wise, particularly early in the bout, for Gane to remain primarily in his lengthy, almost entirely perpendicular lefty stance. In doing so, he will keep Aspinall at bay, limiting his ability to explode into close-range attacks.
Gane possesses all the weapons in the striking department. Some key tactics will be his stinging body kicks, a technique which Aspinall has displayed vulnerability to. His stabbing front kick will also halt any forward pressure from the Englishman. Additionally, fighting behind his sharp jab and low kicks will open up some more devastating strikes.
The ultimate essential for Gane will be weathering the early onslaught from his opponent. A longer fight tips in his favor. As the duel progresses, the exchanges will slow down and Aspinall may start to tire. Gane will be able to settle into a patient, calculated flow. In such a rhythm, he can begin utilizing stance switches and clever barrages to dissect Aspinall.
Fight Keys for Aspinall
When it comes to champ, the intended gameplan is a copy and paste. Aspinall has knocked out each of his last three competitors in under two minutes. His name is currently etched in the history books as the fighter with the shortest average fight duration. With a brilliant knack for finding split-second openings, and the power and precision to sleep his opposition, the English titleholder can end the contest in a single blink.
On the feet, Aspinall will be bouncing in his familiar pendulum. He tends to use his lead hand and jab to detect distance. Once he has accurately judged his range, Aspinall will spring off the backfoot into forceful shots. As a natural boxer, he possesses superb hand speed and throws splendidly in combination.
Prior to any explosive advances, expect the champ to deploy a heavy dose of leg kicks. By pummeling Gane’s base, he could compromise the Frenchman’s movement.
If Gane is defensively responsible, and fruitful openings never manifest, Aspinall could initiate grappling exchanges. As a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the Manchester man would maintain the advantage on the ground.
The only prevailing skepticism surrounding Aspinall is a question of endurance. He has not demonstrated a tendency to fatigue, yet never has he been in a fight extending past two rounds. Some pundits hypothesize that due to his exerting charges, he may exhaust rapidly in longer fights. Such suggestions are very much speculative. Nonetheless, as with any fighter, Aspinall certainly aspires to finish the bout early.
Final Prediction
As it pertains to the final prediction, Aspinall will outshine Gane. The current champion is slightly faster and carries more power in his hands. His superior ground game will also provide another avenue through which he could realize a victory.
England retains the crown in this European showdown.
Underground pick: Aspinall wins by knockout.
Complete List of Main Card Picks:
Heavyweight Title Fight: Tom Aspinall (-400 favorite) vs Ciryl Gane (+300 underdog) – Underground Pick: Winner – Tom Aspinall
Strawweight Title Fight: Virna Jandiroba (+125) vs. Mackenzie Dern (-150) – Underground Pick: Winner – Mackenzie Dern
Bantamweight Fight: Umar Nurmagomedov (-700) vs. Mario Bautista (+450) – Underground Pick: Winner – Umar Nurmagomedov
Heavyweight Fight: Alexander Volkov (+160) vs. Jailton Almeida (-190) – Underground Pick: Winner – Alexander Volkov
Middleweight Fight: Aleksandar Rakic (-115) vs. Azamat Murzakanov (-105) – Underground Pick: Winner – Azamat Murzakanov
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