Spoiler alert: UFC 321 didn’t end the way you’d hoped for Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane
UFC 321 was a night full of cheers, chants, flashing lights, and flying fists but it didn’t quite finish the way fans expected. From fun and games outside the arena to wild fights inside, the energy never dipped once. But when the main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended early after an eye poke, the crowd went from cheering to booing in seconds.
The fan zone fun
Before the fights even began, fans were already having a great time outside the arena. The UFC Fan Zone had games for everyone – from testing your reaction speed to trying Power Slap, or even PlayStation to play your own UFC match. There were small prizes to win and plenty of chances for fans to show off their skills.
The atmosphere inside
From the moment the doors opened, the energy was through the roof. Fans were cheering non-stop – from those shouting for Tom Aspinall to others backing Ciryl Gane. You could feel the excitement even from outside the arena, and it only built as the night went on. The back-and-forth chants between the fans created a fun rivalry across the arena, with both sides trying to outdo each other in volume.
Celebrities filled the front rows too – Wayne Rooney, Steve Harvey, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Chris Eubank, and Kamaru Usman were all spotted enjoying the action.
And of course, when Bruce Buffer, the official voice of the Octagon, grabbed the mic for his famous “It’s time!”, the noise somehow got even louder.
The fights that got everyone talking
There were plenty of great fights across the card, keeping the crowd on their feet.
Performance of the Night: Quillan Salkilld was the talk of the night after stepping in with only ten days’ notice and getting a knockout win against Nasrat Haqparast in the first round at 2:30. The hit had the crowd silent for a few moments as everyone waited for movement, before bursting into applause. “I should get a bonus for that,” he joked afterwards.
Another standout: Valter Walker, ranked second in the heavyweight division, pulled off a quick win at just 1 minute and 24 seconds in round one. A spin, a leg lock, and suddenly his opponent Louie Sutherland had to tap out. The crowd went wild for both fighters after the dramatic finish.
Fight of the Night: went to Ludovit Klein vs Mateusz Rebecki, a tough, bloody battle that had fans glued to the action until the very end.
Image: Getty Images
The main event that ended too soon at UFC 321
Then came the fight everyone had been waiting for – Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane for the heavyweight title. The energy was unreal. Fans had been cheering Tom’s name for hours, and when the two finally stepped into the Octagon, the noise hit another level. For those 4 minutes and 35 seconds, it looked like a very even fight – with both landing clean shots and keeping the pressure high. Tom, known for finishing his opponents in the first round, didn’t have it all his way this time. It looked like we were in for a wild fight for the title.
But then, everything changed. Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes, forcing the referee to pause the fight. At first, there was still hope in the crowd as no one wanted to see it end like this. You could see fans looking around, asking what was happening as Tom walked slowly around the Octagon with ice pressed to his eyes while the doctors spoke to the referee… Then came the moment everyone dreaded as the ref waved his hands in an X to call off the fight. The crowd erupted in boos… you’ve never seen people leave an arena so fast.
At first, fans were confused but then came the replay, showing the eye poke up close then the cheers quickly turned into gasps, and the arena fell silent.
Aspinall was taken to hospital for checks, and while no updates have been confirmed yet, UFC CEO and President Dana White later said in the press conference there will be a rematch. So it looks like this rivalry isn’t over just yet.
One title fight that went the distance
While the heavyweight title didn’t get its winner, there was still one title fight that delivered. Virna Jandiroba faced Mackenzie Dern for the women’s strawweight title – a full five-round battle that went the distance. Dern took the win by decision and giving fans at least one championship result for the night as Dana White stepped into the Octagon to place the belt around Mackenzie’s waist.
Images: Getty Images
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