Ciryl Gane has expressed his willingness to face Tom Aspinall in the Octagon, a matchup he claims could have even materialized earlier this year.
The two heavyweight stars were linked for a potential fight over the summer, with Aspinall suggesting Gane declined a bout at UFC 304 in July. Instead, the Brit fought Curtis Blaydes, securing a first-round TKO victory to retain the interim heavyweight title.
Coach Fernand Lopez later confirmed that Gane turned down the summer fight due to prior commitments with a Netflix movie project.
The Frenchman has now clarified that no fight offer involving Aspinall was presented to him for September. "Bon Gamin" even countered Aspinall’s claims, alleging that Aspinall declined a potential matchup in March.
Yeah, yeah, of course, for March – but it was not possible,” Gane said during an interview on Monday's episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned. “He said I refused him in September, but the UFC didn’t propose me any contract with him [for that time]. Like I’ve said, I’m looking for the best opportunities for myself, and he’s doing the same. The UFC knows this is a fight I want.
Despite the back and forth, Gane believes a clash with Aspinall is inevitable.
For now, his focus is on his upcoming fight against Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. The event takes place this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where Gane aims to strengthen his position in the heavyweight division.
