Summary
Aspinall backstage at the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC
More than a week later, the surprising outcome of the main event at UFC 321 continues to generate controversy in the MMA world. According to Jiri Prochazka , Tom Aspinall 's decision not to return to the fight with Ciryl Gane may have been motivated by insecurity. The heavyweight champion (up to 120,2 kg) retained his title after taking an eye poke in the final moments of the first round, resulting in a no-contest.
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In an interview with former fighters Michael Bisping and Paul Felder on the podcast 'Believe You Me', the former light heavyweight champion (up to 93 kg) said that negative thoughts can arise in fighters' minds in situations like the one Aspinall went through.
"Maybe Tom started overthinking, like 'maybe I'm not good enough to fight him', 'maybe next time I'll be better prepared' or 'maybe he'll win'. It's all in your head. You start thinking like that in these situations — how this could change the fight. Maybe it was something very serious, ask Tom."
Jiri Prochazka says Tom Aspinall might've overthought the situation after the eye poke, thinking he wasn't ready to fight
“Maybe Tom started to think too much, like 'maybe I'm not good enough to fight him,' 'maybe next time I'll be better prepared,' or 'maybe he'll win.'… pic.twitter.com/9AfdxOxwUc
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 4, 2025
Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane are set to face off again.
The fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ends in a no contest at UFC 321. Photo: UFC News / Twitter
In the post-fight press conference following the anticlimactic bout, Dana White lamented what happened and concluded that a rematch should be the next step. The fight would have been the first undisputed title defense for the Englishman, who was promoted to the title after Jon Jones ' retirement.
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