Ciryl Gane has clapped back at UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s ducking accusations.
Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) claimed that he only got to fight Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 because Gane turned the Russian down. Aspinall also accused Gane (12-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) of turning down fights with him and Curtis Blaydes, which Blaydes discussed after his knockout of Jailton Almeida at UFC 299.
“He’s dismissed me on multiple occasions, and I’m not the first guy he’s dismissed,” Aspinall said on “The MMA Hour.” “I’m not the first guy that he’s ducked. It’s out there for people to see. The reason that I got the Pavlovich fight is because Ciryl didn’t want it.
“He ducked Pavlovich. He then ducked Curtis Blaydes. Curtis Blaydes has been on record saying that. I asked for him years ago. He didn’t want it then. Then I asked for him in Paris. They flew me over; we tried to make that fight. He didn’t want it then, and we’ll see what the UFC wants to do.”
Gane responded to Aspinall on X by denying those claims and offered to fight him at the UFC’s expected Paris event in September.
.@AspinallMMA, I never, ever say no to any challenge or any opponent.
Blaydes was never an option.
They said Pavlovich, I said yes.
Don't worry, I'll see you in September, stop tripping 📍@Mickmaynard2 @danawhite
— Ciryl Gane (@ciryl_gane) April 9, 2024
Gane rebounded from his title-fight loss to Jon Jones with a second-round TKO of Serghei Spivac last September. Meanwhile, Aspinall campaigned hard for a title-unification bout with heavyweight champion Jones but is willing to defend his interim title first. Jones is expected to make his first title defense against Stipe Miocic upon return from injury.
