Preview: UFC 321 ‘Aspinall vs. Gane’

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s annual October trip to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, usually comes with a stacked card attached, and UFC 321 fits the bill on Saturday at Etihad Arena. The heavyweight title picture finally gets moving in the main event, where Tom Aspinall makes his first defense as an undisputed champion against Ciryl Gane. While the co-headliner—a rematch for the vacant strawweight title between Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern—was a bit unexpected, it’s at least a well-matched fight. Beyond that, the lineup is filled with championship implications, as a bantamweight showcase pitting Umar Nurmagomedov against Mario Bautista and a heavyweight feature slotting Alexander Volkov opposite Jailton Almeida could determine title challengers in two divisions. Meanwhile, the light heavyweight opener between Aleksandar Rakic and Azamat Murzakanov looks like a compelling contrast of styles that could put the winner in a big spot.

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