News Summary
Abu Dhabi is gearing up for UFC 321 at the Etihad Arena, where Tom Aspinall will defend his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. This event marks the significant title defense after 11 months. Aspinall, who boasts an impressive MMA record, is highly favored in the matchup. The preliminary card begins at 10 AM ET, while the main card starts at 2 PM ET, available for pay-per-view via ESPN+. The co-main event features Mackenzie Dern battling Virna Jandiroba for the vacant strawweight title, alongside other notable matches. Fans worldwide eagerly await this thrilling event.
Abu Dhabi is set to host UFC 321 this Saturday, October 25, 2025, at the Etihad Arena. The main event will feature Tom Aspinall defending his undisputed heavyweight championship against former interim champion Ciryl Gane. This title defense marks a significant occasion, as it will be the first time the undisputed heavyweight title has been defended in 11 months.
The preliminary card will kick off at 10 AM ET, followed by the main card starting at 2 PM ET. Fans can catch the preliminary fights on FX and can also stream them through Disney+ and ESPN+. For those wishing to watch the main card, it will be available on ESPN+ as a pay-per-view option for $79.99.
This championship showdown follows Aspinall’s elevation from interim champion to undisputed champion after Jon Jones announced his retirement. Aspinall’s MMA record stands at 15 wins and 3 losses, including an impressive 8 wins and 1 loss within the UFC. His only defeat came from a freak knee injury sustained just seconds into a bout against Curtis Blaydes in 2022. Notably, Aspinall has achieved 7 first-round finishes in his UFC career, the highest by any fighter across all weight classes after nine appearances in the Octagon.
Aspinall holds several records in the UFC, possessing the shortest average fight time in history at just 2 minutes and 2 seconds, alongside spending just one second in the bottom position throughout his career. He also leads the heavyweight division with an average of 4.09 knockdowns per 15 minutes of fight time and lands an impressive average of 8.07 significant strikes per minute. This striking efficiency has granted him the highest significant strike differential in UFC heavyweight history at plus-5.18 per minute.
In the co-main event, the vacant strawweight title will be contested between Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba. Other notable matches on the card include Umar Nurmagomedov versus Mario Bautista, Alexander Volkov taking on Jailton Almeida, and Aleksandar Rakic facing Azamat Murzakanov.
Heading into this title defense, Aspinall is focused on solidifying his championship reign and is favored to win against Gane, with a betting line sitting at -425. Despite his underdog status, Gane comes off a controversial victory against Alexander Volkov, although he has faced title fight defeats in the past.
This event continues the UFC’s expansion efforts in the Middle East, highlighting the organization’s commitment to bringing premium MMA events to new markets. As anticipation builds around UFC 321, both fighters aim to leave their mark on the heavyweight division, making this a must-watch event for fans around the world.
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Additional Resources
- Bloody Elbow: UFC 321 Preview
- Google Search: UFC 321
- MMA Fighting: UFC 321 Roundtable
- Google Scholar: UFC 321
- MMA Mania: Mackenzie Dern Not Ready
- Encyclopedia Britannica: UFC
- Sherdog: Umar Nurmagomedov Interview
- Google News: UFC 321
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