Dana White Confirms Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane Rematch After UFC 321 Eye-Poke Controversy

UFC President Dana White has broken tradition by confirming a rematch between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane following the controversial ending to their UFC 321 main event in Abu Dhabi.

The two heavyweights headlined the card for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, but the bout ended in chaos when Aspinall retained his title after an accidental eye poke, forcing the contest to be ruled a no contest.

White, who usually avoids booking fights on event night, told reporters that the disappointing finish demanded a second showdown.

The Timeline for the Rematch

Speaking at the post-fight press conference, White made it clear the rematch will happen as soon as both fighters are medically cleared.

'Great showing, s***y ending, you know? I think that after the (Jon) Jones fight, a lot of people wrote Ciryl Gane off — he looked damn good tonight,' said White.

When asked directly about booking the two again once Aspinall is cleared, he replied: 'Total pain in the a**, but yeah... It's unfortunate it ended the way it did and yes, I think there probably will be a lot more interest in the rematch after they say, you know, [Gane] had Tom bloodied up and Tom didn't want to continue in the fight.'

Aspinall was taken to hospital shortly after his interview inside the octagon, ending what was meant to be a triumphant comeback following more than a year on the sidelines.

Volkov Denied Shot at No 1 Contender Spot

While Gane missed out on his third chance to become champion, Alexander Volkov also saw his own title hopes delayed despite a dominant win earlier in the night.

White praised the Russian heavyweight after he defeated Jailton Almeida, but said the promotion's immediate focus would be the Aspinall-Gane rematch.

'First of all, I can sit here right now, what makes sense is to do the rematch,' White said. 'I'm not saying anybody's going to be a No 1 contender outside of Ciryl Gane.'

Volkov, nicknamed Drago, now boasts a 13-5 UFC record, with two of his five losses coming against both Aspinall and Gane.

Jon Jones Trolls Aspinall and Teases White House Fight

Adding more drama to the heavyweight scene, former two-division champion Jon 'Bones' Jones weighed in online.

Jones changed his Instagram profile picture to a cartoon duck with an eye patch wearing a UFC title belt — a tongue-in-cheek jab at fans who have accused Aspinall of 'ducking' him.

The UFC promoted Aspinall from interim to undisputed heavyweight champion after Jones vacated the belt upon announcing his retirement last June.

Since then, Jones has hinted at returning for a blockbuster event. He posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he wants to fight Alex Pereira, the current two-time light-heavyweight champion, on what he dubbed the first-ever UFC card at the White House, tentatively scheduled for 4 June 2026.

What Happens Next

No official date has been set for the Aspinall-Gane rematch, but insiders expect it to headline a major pay-per-view in early 2025 once medical suspensions are cleared.

With Gane determined to reclaim momentum and Aspinall eager to erase the controversy, Dana White says fans can expect one of the most anticipated heavyweight rematches in recent UFC history.