Heading into Sunday’s UFC Freedom 250 fight card, one of the hot topics was focused on Alex Pereira’s standing among the MMA greats if he managed to defeat Ciryl Gane in the evening’s co-main event. That talk quickly fizzled when Gane stopped Pereira via TKO 97 seconds into their bout. With the stoppage win, the victorious Gane became a two-time interim UFC heavyweight champion. With that, the post-fight talk question became, when and where would Gane fight current UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in a unification bout.
At the UFC Freedom 250 press conference, Gane was asked what his perfect scenario for a rematch with Aspinall would look like.
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“As soon as possible, in Paris is a good idea, but I know, let the staff of the UFC work on it,” said Gane.
As for Aspinall, he seemed to like Gane’s thinking.
“Paris in September, eh? I’ll do that,” Aspinall said in a video posted on 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.”
Aspinall and Gane first met at UFC 321 in October. That fight, which took place in Abu Dhabi, was for Aspinall’s UFC crown. The bout ended prematurely after an eye pokes left Aspinall unable to continue. The matchup was ruled a no contest at 4:35 of the first round.
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Aspinall underwent surgery to both his eyes, enduring procedures in January and February. In early April, Aspinall resumed training.
The UFC has held four fight cards in Paris, with each of those bouts being Fight Night events, not numbered fight cards. This year’s visit, scheduled for September 5 at Accor Arena is expected to also be a Fight Night affair. No fights have been officially announced for the card.
Pereira entered UFC Freedom 250 as a former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion. Had he won the interim heavyweight title to become a three-division promotional champ, UFC CEO Dana White said of Pereira, “If he wins the third world title that night, he jumps over Jon Jones and becomes the greatest of all time.”
When Pereira and Gane entered the Octagon on Sunday, both fighters were listed at -110, making the bout a pick ‘em. In the second round, Gane landed 31 of his 41 significant strikes attempts and scored the only knockdown of the fight before referee Herb Dean waved off the affair. Pereira landed a single punch in the second stanza.
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Gane is a two-time interim champ. He failed to unify the titles in January 2022 when then-champ Francis Ngannou beat him via decision at UFC 270. Gane had a second crack at the undisputed championship in March 2023. He lost that fight to Jon Jones via first-round submission. Jones claimed the vacant title with that win. Gane is 3-0-0-1 since the Jones fight.
Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight belt in November 2023 with a knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. He defended the interim title in July 2024 with a KO of Curtis Blaydes. Aspinall was promoted to undisputed champion in June 2025 when Jones announced his retirement. The Gane matchup was his first attempt at defending that crown.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
