Tom Aspinall Fires Back at Ciryl Gane Saying His '1000 IQ' Move Is 'Stupid'

Tom Aspinall has hit back at Ciryl Gane after he described his '1000 IQ' pre-fight move as 'stupid'.

Aspinall makes the first defence of his undisputed UFC heavyweight title against Gane in the main-event of Saturday's UFC 321 from Abu Dhabi.

It will be his first Octagon appearance since being promoted to UFC heavyweight champion following Jon Jones' refusal to fight him.

Aspinall, who defended his interim UFC title against Curtis Blaydes in his last outing, returns against Gane, who attempts to become an undisputed UFC champion at the third time of asking, having fallen short against Francis Ngannou and Jones.

The build-up between Aspinall and Gane has been very respectful, with the two fighters not engaging in trash talk.

But the Frenchman ramped things up when he took aim at his rival's pre-fight move.

Tom Aspinall defends his UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Image: Getty

Aspinall has become known for putting his hand on his opponent's shoulder, having done it against Sergei Pavlovich and even attempting it against Jones.

He has yet to explain why he does it, with some critics believing it is a way for him to get an early read on his or his opponent's reach.

Gane, however, has played down Aspinall's pre-fight move, calling it 'stupid'.

"This is a stupid thing,” he told Full Send MMA.

"If you want to reach my side, I must put my hand on your shoulder, if he wants to have his range, he needs to put his hand on the wall and he’s gonna have his range," he added. "Why does he need to put his hand on my shoulder."

Well, Aspinall has revealed it's not a move to gauge his or his opponent's reach.

Asked if he would do it against Gane, he told SPORTbible: "I don't know."

Commenting on Gane's dig, Aspinall added: "No, it's not to get a gauge on their reach. So, maybe he's stupid for thinking it is."

Despite the exchange, the superstar Brit insists there is no beef between him and Gane.

"If that's taken a turn... there's not a lot of beef there. I think you're clutching at straws a bit there," he joked.

Tom Aspinall hasn't fought since his victory over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024. Image: Getty

Tom Aspinall: 'I look forward to seeing the back of Ciryl Gane'

Aspinall vs. Gane has been discussed for many years ahead of their championship bout at UFC 321.

The UFC heavyweight king claims that 'Bon Gamin' turned down fighting him on three separate occasions, including for the interim title at UFC 295 in November 2023.

And the 32-year-old is looking forward to finally meeting Gane inside the famed Octagon.

"He's just another opponent. He seems like a nice fella. But regardless of if he's a nice fella or not, he's in the way," he added. "I'm always sick of my opponents by the time it comes around anyway because we've been talking about them and thinking about them for the last three months. I guess I do look forward to seeing the back of him in a way. Look forward to fighting him more than anything though."

Tom Aspinall takes on Ciryl Gane in a main event UFC World Heavyweight title match at UFC: 321 Aspinall vs Gane live on Saturday 25^th October at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. To find out more about how to watch the fight on TNT Sports Box Office click the link here.