Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane's Next Best Fights After UFC 321 Results

After over a year away from the Octagon, Tom Aspinall returned to action in the main event of UFC 321 on Saturday, but it was an unsatisfying result.

As a result of Ciryl Gane accidentally poking him in the eye during the first round, Aspinall was unable to continue, and UFC ruled the bout a no contest because of an accidental foul.

Aspinall was fighting for the first time since July 2024 following his lengthy wait for a fight against Jon Jones that never materialized.

So, what's next?

The UFC heavyweight division has lacked some star power for quite some time, but there are some contenders rising up the ranks.

Let's take a look at the best three options for Aspinall's next title defense, as well as where Gane goes from here.

Aspinall's Next Best Opponents

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• Ciryl Gane
• Alexander Volkov
• Derrick Lewis

The obvious next opponent for Aspinall should be Gane, who seemed to be in control of the fight during the first round before the accidental eye poke.

Given the lack of a decisive result, fans will undoubtedly want to see what Aspinall and Gane can do under different circumstances.

If Aspinall retains in a potential rematch against Gane, Alexander Volkov could be next after Volkov beat Jailton Almeida in the second fight on the main card of UFC 321 by split decision to establish himself as the next contender for the heavyweight title.

Aspinall had defeated Volkov via first-round submission in their previous meeting in March 2022. While he likely won't be very excited about a rematch, he will have to be at his best against Volkov, who has now won five of his last six fights.

If UFC chooses to go in a different direction, there aren't many fighters remaining who Aspinall hasn't already fought. However, veteran knockout artist Derrick Lewis is one of the most popular fighters in the heavyweight division, so it's not out of the realm of possibility that he would skip the line for the next title shot.

Lewis most recently stopped the hype train of the previously undefeated Tallison Teixeira with a first-round TKO win in July, which extended his UFC record for most knockout victories (16). Matching him up against Aspinall would create a battle of two of the best power punchers in the heavyweight division.

Gane's Next Best Opponents

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• Tom Aspinall
• Alexander Volkov
• Curtis Blaydes

Although Saturday's bout didn't end in ideal fashion for Gane, one can only assume that a rematch with Aspinall would happen.

Gane looked impressive in limited action against the champion, and it would make sense for UFC president Dana White to want to see it through in the not-too-distant future.

Aside from Gane, there could be some interest in a rematch between Kane and Alexander Volkov after Volkov beat Jailton Almeida by split decision at UFC 321.

Gane already owns two wins over Volkov, but their most recent meeting at UFC 310 in December ended in a controversial split decision that many felt Volkov should've won. UFC president Dana White even said he apologized to Volkov for the judges' ruling. While he likely won't be very excited about a trilogy fight against someone he had already beaten twice, Gane and Volkov have some unfinished business.

Curtis Blaydes is one of the few top contenders in the heavyweight division who has yet to face Gane. Blaydes earned a split decision win over Rizvan Kuniev in June, so there's a chance that he has some more work to do before earning a title shot. A No. 1 contender fight between the heavyweight mainstays would surely excite fans.