Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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Veteran UFC Reporter Gives Her Take On The Timeline Of Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane Rematch

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

UFC 321 was supposed to be a moving forward moment for the heavyweight division. Instead, it turned into one of the most controversial endings in recent memory. The heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest after an accidental eye poke. Fans were furious, critics came out swinging, and suddenly everyone had an opinion.

The good news? Dana White immediately said the rematch makes sense and should happen soon. The big question now is when. Will fans see the Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane rematch before 2025 ends, or will fans have to wait until early 2026? Veteran UFC reporter Megan Olivi recently shared her thoughts on the timeline, and she’s cautiously optimistic.

Megan Olivi Shares An Optimistic But Realistic Take On Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane Rematch Timeline

Speaking on The Bohnfire with Mike Bohn, Megan Olivi laid out her thoughts pretty clearly. She wants to see both fighters healthy as soon as possible. That’s the priority, not rushing them back for a quick turnaround. Olivi emphasized that both Aspinall and Gane need to be at their best for this rematch to mean anything. Nobody wants to see a diminished version of either fighter stepping into the octagon. The first fight was just getting interesting before the eye poke ruined everything. A proper rematch needs both guys firing on all cylinders.

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However, Olivi isn’t completely writing off a 2025 date. She said she’s crossing her fingers and hoping the stars align. If Aspinall recovers well and both fighters can train properly before December, then maybe fans will get lucky. It’s wishful thinking, but Olivi’s been around long enough to know the UFC can pull off quick turnarounds when needed. She’s holding out hope that the fans might see this rematch squeezed into the final UFC card of 2025. Still, she’s realistic about the odds. Medical clearances take time, training camps need proper preparation, and you can’t force these things.

What Dana White And Other Analysts Are Saying?

Dana White wasted no time addressing the situation after UFC 321. He confirmed the rematch is happening and that it makes complete sense. White wants to rebook it as soon as Aspinall’s eye heals up. The injury looked bad in the moment, with Tom Aspinall unable to continue and clearly in distress. Doctors have since cleared Aspinall of any serious long-term problems. That’s huge news for the heavyweight division.

Former middleweight champion Michael Bisping thinks the fight could happen before 2025 ends. He’s pointed to UFC 322 in November or UFC 323 in December as possible landing spots. Bisping knows about eye injuries from personal experience, having lost sight in one eye during his career. If he thinks a quick turnaround is possible, that carries some weight. However, UFC 323 is scheduled for December 6 and might already be potentially set to feature Ilia Topuria in the main event. That complicates things.

Most realistic predictions point toward January or February 2026 for the rematch. That gives Aspinall plenty of time to heal properly and both fighters can have full training camps. Nobody wants another controversial ending or a compromised performance. The heavyweight title deserves a clean, definitive result. Whether it happens in 2025 or early 2026, this rematch is coming. Megan Olivi will be there covering it, probably still crossing her fingers that everything goes smoothly this time around!

(Image Credit: Wendell Cruz – Imagn Images)

Ciryl Gane

Megan Olivi

Tom Aspinall

UFC 321

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!