Tom Aspinall 'will be there' for UFC bout against Ciryl Gane in Paris after Frenchman's TKO win against Alex Pereira
By Leon Imber
Updated 16/06/2026 at 17:41 GMT+1
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UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has accepted the challenge laid out by his big rival Ciryl Gane over a proposed title bout in Paris later this year.
Watch: Every knockout from UFC Freedom 250 at the White House featuring Gaethje, Gane and O’Malley
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Aspinall has not taken to the Octagon since he suffered a traumatic eye injury against Gane at UFC 321 in October last year.
That bout was declared a no-contest and talk has continued over when the pair would face off again.
Gane clinically stopped Alex Pereira with a second-round TKO to win the UFC's interim heavyweight championship at the White House, all but ensuring another title shot for the Frenchman.
Gane said after the victory: "Next, everybody [knows] already. Let's do that in Paris in September."
And watching the action on his YouTube channel, Aspinall reacted to the proposed bout.
"Paris in September? I'll do that," said Aspinall. "I'll go to Paris. Let me know. I'll be there."
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Aspinall underwent surgery in February on both eyes and confirmed three months later that he had returned to non-contact training.
There has been ill-feeling between Aspinall and Gane since their no-contest meeting, and watching Sunday's action, the Briton took issue with some of his rival's use of his elbows.
"[The elbows] look a bit illegal," he said. "They look very illegal. What is going on? Dropped him with a jab and he's swinging now trying to finish him.
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"He looked good. I have to watch that again. Looked like there was a lot of illegal elbows going on. Illegal punches but generally he looked good."
UFC chief Dana White had previously said Aspinall would "100%" have been on the White House card should he have been fit to fight.
"A lot of our champions are hurt right now," White said, in quotes reported by ESPN.
"There's a lot of things you have to deal with when you're making these matches with timing and everything else going on in everybody's life. But yeah, it would have been Tom."
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