UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall certainly has not lost any power during his time away from the Octagon.
It has been 13 months since Aspinall knocked out Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 to successfully defend his interim heavyweight title.
The Englishman made it clear that he would only accept an undisputed title fight next, but he may not have been expecting the lengthy delay and drama that has led to that coming to pass.
Following months of uncertainty as then-champion Jon Jones staunchly rejected calls to face his interim counterpart, the heavyweight saga was finally resolved when Jones’ retirement elevated Aspinall to undisputed champ.
With that, the Aspinall era is underway, and the newly crowned king evidently can’t wait to get started…
- LATEST UFC NEWS: Dana White sent messages as fans rally behind star’s call to join stacked UFC 322 card: ‘The people want this!’
Tom Aspinall breaks a heavy bag during training for UFC 321
Fans are just less than two months away from seeing the heavyweight title defended for the first time since Jones beat Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November.
In the main event of UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25, Aspinall will face Ciryl Gane in a long-awaited clash of elite European heavyweights.
Gane, a former interim champion and two-time undisputed title challenger, has long been regarded as the division’s most technical and talented striker. But when it comes to power, he may be outdone on the feet by his next opponent.
Aspinall recently put his brutal hands on full display by posting training footage on Instagram. The short clip shows the heavyweight champ landing two hard blows on a punching bag, the second of which breaks the bag and sends it flying.
- UFC THROWBACK: UFC star rejected rival’s glove touch before instantly sleeping him in the fastest-ever heavyweight KO
Fans react to Tom Aspinall’s brutal power in training… ‘Gane is cooked’
Fans quickly picked up on the footage, and there was a common theme among them.
Many joined a prominent heavyweight fighter in expressing concern over Gane’s fate once he is standing opposite Aspinall’s devastating punching power.
“Imagine how far Ciryl’s head will fly,” Brave CF’s first-ever heavyweight champion, Pavel Dailidko, wrote.
“I’m sorry for you Gane. But you’re cooked.”
“Count your days @gane.”
“Let’s pray for Gane.”
“Unreal power. Gane is cooked.”
“Gane is getting flatlined.”
Others, meanwhile, returned to the discussion surrounding Jones’ avoidance of a fight against Aspinall.
“Exactly why Jones didn’t want that smoke.”
“The reason Jon Jones retired.”
“Bag just called and said he is retiring.”
“@ciryl_gane there’s still time for you to run like Jon did.”
“Good choice by JJ not to fight this monster.”
“That’s why Jon Jones keeps running.”
“No wonder Jones ducked.”