At UFC 321, fans witnessed arguably the most unsatisfying main event ending of the year. With just 30 seconds left in the first round, Ciryl Gane accidentally double eye-poked Tom Aspinall, forcing the bout to be ruled a no-contest. As a result, the Brit retained his heavyweight title, but the fight left a space in everyone’s minds — what could’ve happened if the fight had moved on? While many fans were understandably disappointed, some also pointed out how, for the first time, Aspinall seemed to be facing a real challenge.

Heading into his first title defense, most people expected Aspinall to make quick work of Gane, just as he had with everyone else before. The reigning heavyweight champ’s power had already built his reputation as the man who could potentially flatline Jon Jones. However, the Abu Dhabi main event told a slightly different story. ‘Bon Gamin’ actually managed to take a round off the defending champion, proving that Aspinall wasn’t untouchable after all. Because of that, the doubts have started creeping in. Can Tom Aspinall really beat ‘Bones’ if they ever share the Octagon?

Tom Aspinall’s UFC 321 performance vs Ciryl Gane isn’t a fair comparison for Jon Jones fight

Before Tom Aspinall stepped into the cage with Ciryl Gane in the UFC 321 main event, he finished every single opponent in the first round and earned a reputation as an unstoppable juggernaut. However, after defending his interim title by knocking out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024, the Brit found himself sidelined for over a year before returning against Gane in Abu Dhabi. That long layoff might’ve played a part in what looked like a touch of ring rust.

Looking closely at the fight, Aspinall still moved well, bouncing on his feet, but his punches seemed just a bit more labored than usual. Even Daniel Cormier pointed it out on commentary. As the round went on, though, Aspinall started to find his rhythm, landing some solid combinations. Still, credit where it’s due, Ciryl Gane looked sharper than ever. His stand-up had clearly evolved, and his takedown defense showed massive improvement.

‘Bon Gamin’ smartly worked behind his jab and leg kicks, making it difficult for Aspinall to close the distance. He kept his strikes compact and precise, never overextending,  which actually allowed him to read and stuff the champ’s takedown attempts. In short, Aspinall wasn’t facing the same Gane who froze against Jon Jones at UFC 285. This was a more calculated, cautious, and technically evolved version. 

Bon Gamin’s time training with Bahraini heavyweight wrestler Akhmed Tazhudinov and Iranian standout Pouya Rahmani has clearly elevated his grappling. So in this case, it’s not just Aspinall who could test Jones — even this evolved version of Gane might give ‘Bones’ some competition, too.

To be fair, using that single round, which Gane edged by just three significant strikes, as a measure of whether Aspinall could actually beat Jon Jones wouldn’t be accurate. Fighters learn and get better, just like the Frenchman showed against the British champion. And honestly, this might make Aspinall even more dangerous and ready to put on a more competitive fight against ‘Bones’. 

Jones vs Aspinall would still be competitive  

Now, as UFC 321 ended on a bitter note, a rematch between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane seems inevitable. And whether Aspinall ever gets his shot at Jon Jones will likely depend on how he performs in that second fight. But let’s assume that the Brit beats Gane cleanly in a competitive fight to defend his belt, would that really mean ‘Bones’ would absolutely destroy Aspinall if they met?

Well, it could happen. Jones is an elite wrestler and one of the craftiest strikers the sport has ever seen. At UFC 309, he proved that by knocking out Stipe Miocic with a spinning back kick. Something you don’t often see in the heavyweight division. So yes, that kind of result is always possible. However, the fact that Aspinall managed to hang in there and make things competitive with Gane shows he could offer more resistance than Miocic did.

The Brit still carries some of the heaviest hands in the 265-pound division, and his jiu-jitsu complements that power beautifully. So while some fans may have cooled off on the idea that Aspinall dominates Jones everywhere, it doesn’t erase his danger factor. If anything, it sets the stage for a far more competitive fight than people think. Because Aspinall wouldn’t just rely on raw power only, and would take a more measured and calculative approach. 

Would that guarantee a win? Absolutely not. No fighter in the world — no matter how formidable — can ever guarantee victory against anyone. And here, we’re talking about Jon Jones. But it’s also not like the former heavyweight champ would just cruise through the Manchester steamroller the way many are making it out to be right now, after the reigning champ faced a little adversity. 

Now, another big question is, will we ever actually see Tom Aspinall fight Jon Jones? Because at this stage, it doesn’t seem like ‘Bones’ would be too interested in coming back to face the winner. There’s only one way it happens.  

Will the biggest heavyweight fight happen after all? 

After the UFC 321 main event ended abruptly, Dana White made it clear that the inevitable rematch will happen once Tom Aspinall’s eye fully heals. With that second fight on the way, the reigning heavyweight champ will have a real chance to adjust and deal with his crafty opponent better than he did the first time. Unfortunately, that still might not be enough to lure Jon Jones back into the Octagon.

For that to happen, Aspinall needs to make a statement, and the only way to do it is by knocking out Ciryl Gane in the first round. However, the chances of that are slim, given how much the French MMA star has improved his ground game and shown the ability to take a punch. Still, that’s the only real scenario that could summon the former heavyweight champion back to the UFC.

Either way, it’ll be fascinating to see how the rematch plays out and whether the British juggernaut can deliver a convincing win. Because if Aspinall falls short against Gane, it wouldn’t just be a loss on his record. As Chael Sonnen put it, it would mean Jon Jones has already won.

‘The Bad Guy’ in his YouTube channel said, “[Aspinall] is dealing with talking heads like me that come in and create an extra layer of pressure. Tom’s not only got to handle Ciryl, he’s got to handle Ciryl in a like or better fashion than Jon Jones handled Ciryl. If Ciryl comes out of this match with the world championship, Ciryl does not become the greatest heavyweight phenomenon out there. Jon Jones does. The biggest winner of this fight.”

And that’s actually true! If Ciryl Gane beats Tom Aspinall in the rematch, Jon Jones would likely move on, either chasing a superfight with Alex Pereira or simply staying retired, convinced he would’ve been too much for the Brit to handle anyway. So once again, the pressure falls squarely on the Manchester native to prove he’s the real deal, the best heavyweight in the world, and the man destined to dethrone the greatest UFC fighter of all time. Now, can he make both things happen? Only time will tell.

That said, what do you think? Can Tom Aspinall bounce back, defeat Gane, and eventually take down Jon Jones to claim the heavyweight GOAT crown? Let us know in the comments below.