UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane Ends in Controversy
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi — October 25, 2025
UFC 321 was billed as a heavyweight showdown for the ages, but the main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended in anticlimactic fashion. Still, the rest of the card delivered high-stakes drama, brutal finishes, and breakout performances that shook up multiple divisions.
Main Event: Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane Ends in No Contest
The heavyweight title bout between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended just 4:35 into Round 1 due to an accidental eye poke. Gane’s fingers grazed both of Aspinall’s eyes during a striking exchange, leaving the Brit unable to continue. The bout was ruled a no contest, Aspinall remained the undisputed heavyweight champion after the no contest.
Co-Main Event: Mackenzie Dern Captures Strawweight Gold
Mackenzie Dern claimed the vacant UFC strawweight title with a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Virna Jandiroba. Dern’s striking looked sharper than ever, and her takedown defense held up against the Brazilian grappling ace. The judges scored it 49–46, 48–47, and 48–47 in favor of Dern, who becomes the first American woman to hold the strawweight belt since Rose Namajunas.
Umar Nurmagomedov Stays Perfect
Umar Nurmagomedov extended his unbeaten record to 17-0 with a dominant decision win over Mario Bautista. The Dagestani phenom controlled the pace with superior grappling and striking, earning 30–27 scores across the board.
Volkov Edges Almeida in Tactical Battle
Alexander Volkov narrowly defeated Jailton Almeida via split decision in a chess match of range and takedown defense. Volkov’s jab and movement frustrated Almeida’s attempts to grapple, and two of the three judges gave him the nod in a razor-close contest.
Azamat Murzakanov Stuns Rakić
In one of the night’s most violent moments, Azamat Murzakanov stopped Aleksandar Rakić with a barrage of punches in the first round.
Main Card Results
- Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane — No Contest (Eye Poke), Round 1 (4:35)
- Mackenzie Dern def. Virna Jandiroba — Unanimous Decision (49–46, 48–47, 48–47)
- Umar Nurmagomedov def. Mario Bautista — Unanimous Decision (30–27 x3)
- Alexander Volkov def. Jailton Almeida — Split Decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28)
- Azamat Murzakanov def. Aleksandar Rakić — TKO, Round 1 (3:11)
Preliminary Highlights
- Quillan Salkilld def. Nasrat Haqparast — KO (Head Kick), Round 1
- Ikram Aliskerov def. JunYong Park — Unanimous Decision
- Ludovit Klein def. Mateusz Rębecki — Majority Decision
- Valter Walker def. Louie Sutherland — Submission (Heel Hook), Round 1
- Nathaniel Wood def. Jose Miguel Delgado — Unanimous Decision
- Hamdy Abdelwahab def. Chris Barnett — Unanimous Decision
- Mitch Raposo def. Azat Maksum — Unanimous Decision
- Mizuki Inoue def. Jaqueline Amorim — Unanimous Decision
Final Thoughts
While the main event left fans wanting more, UFC 321 still delivered a night of elite violence and divisional shakeups. Mackenzie Dern’s crowning moment, Murzakanov’s rise, and Umar Nurmagomedov’s continued dominance made this a card to remember.
