- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,170,063
- Reaction score
- 59
The first four UFC events Paris has hosted have been Fight Nights, but that might be about to change.
If the men who might become the most consequential pair of heavyweights in UFC history have their way, it might just force the promotion's hand to pivot from its annual fall trip to Accor Arena in Paris being a second-tier show and make it a numbered event (formerly pay-per-view).
New interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane (14-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) said he expects to fight champion Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) next to unify the belts after he laid absolute waste to Alex Pereira (13-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and his dream to become the UFC's first three-division champ. Gane and Aspinall fought in 2025, but their fight was ended by Gane eye pokes, and Aspinall's subsequent surgeries have kept him sidelined.
But Gane, from France, said after UFC Freedom 250 at the White House that he wants to fight Aspinall in Paris, and Aspinall responded on social media to say he's down for that scenario – even though he's the actual champion, and from England, and would be going into enemy territory to fight on the interim champ's home turf.
"Paris in September, eh? I'll do that," Aspinall said in a video posted to his Instagram. "You're up for it? I'll do that. Let me know. I don't mind. I'll go to Paris. I'll be there. Ciryl Gane in Paris – let's go. Let's go. I'm back to training now – literally right now."
The UFC's first four trips to Paris all have been Fight Nights and not numbered events. The show scheduled for Sept. 5 this year is expected to be UFC Fight Night 287 at Accor Arena. No fights have been announced for that card.
The UFC's upcoming numbered events schedule includes UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas and UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Aug. 15. A September numbered event has not been announced, and it would not be unprecedented for the UFC to shift an event from a Fight Night to a numbered event.
Given the way their first meeting ended, and the talk back and forth between them and other interested parties while Aspinall recovers from a reported four eye surgeries from Gane's pokes, the rematch for the unified heavyweight title will be a big draw, regardless of where it takes place.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tom Aspinall agrees to fight Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris in September
Continue reading...
If the men who might become the most consequential pair of heavyweights in UFC history have their way, it might just force the promotion's hand to pivot from its annual fall trip to Accor Arena in Paris being a second-tier show and make it a numbered event (formerly pay-per-view).
New interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane (14-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) said he expects to fight champion Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) next to unify the belts after he laid absolute waste to Alex Pereira (13-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and his dream to become the UFC's first three-division champ. Gane and Aspinall fought in 2025, but their fight was ended by Gane eye pokes, and Aspinall's subsequent surgeries have kept him sidelined.
But Gane, from France, said after UFC Freedom 250 at the White House that he wants to fight Aspinall in Paris, and Aspinall responded on social media to say he's down for that scenario – even though he's the actual champion, and from England, and would be going into enemy territory to fight on the interim champ's home turf.
"Paris in September, eh? I'll do that," Aspinall said in a video posted to his Instagram. "You're up for it? I'll do that. Let me know. I don't mind. I'll go to Paris. I'll be there. Ciryl Gane in Paris – let's go. Let's go. I'm back to training now – literally right now."
The UFC's first four trips to Paris all have been Fight Nights and not numbered events. The show scheduled for Sept. 5 this year is expected to be UFC Fight Night 287 at Accor Arena. No fights have been announced for that card.
The UFC's upcoming numbered events schedule includes UFC 329 on July 11 in Las Vegas and UFC 330 in Philadelphia on Aug. 15. A September numbered event has not been announced, and it would not be unprecedented for the UFC to shift an event from a Fight Night to a numbered event.
Given the way their first meeting ended, and the talk back and forth between them and other interested parties while Aspinall recovers from a reported four eye surgeries from Gane's pokes, the rematch for the unified heavyweight title will be a big draw, regardless of where it takes place.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tom Aspinall agrees to fight Ciryl Gane at UFC Paris in September
Continue reading...
