Ciryl Gane defends the UFC heavyweight title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Saturday, and the champion still has Tom Aspinall on his mind.
“First fight was not good for him, for me, for everyone,” Gane said, according to a Sky Sports headline reporting that he still hopes for a rematch with the Englishman.
That’s a fighter answering a question straight, which I’ll take every time. Gane (14-2) holds the heavyweight belt and is the first French champion in UFC history. He sits at No. 11 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings as of September 22, and per Cagefile data his last fight was June 14.
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Aspinall, the former champion, is 15-3. He hasn’t fought since October 25, 2025, yet he’s listed No. 1 at heavyweight as of September 19 and No. 7 pound-for-pound as of October 17. When the top-ranked contender is a former champ and the current champ admits their first meeting fell flat, the rematch more or less books itself.
Hokit Comes First
Gane has to get through fight week first, and Hokit has made it loud. Championship Rounds posted his opening shot at the presser: “Hey Ciryl how’s your mom doing? What’s the difference between your mom and a washing machine? When I dump a load in the washing machine, she don’t follow me around for 9 months.”
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At the faceoff, Hokit showed up with protection for his eyes and the back of his head. On Friday, Gane weighed in 11 pounds heavier than him, per Championship Rounds.
The crowd has picked sides too. Happy Punch posted video of a kid who found Hokit’s hotel room and told him to “beat that French cheater.” Nothing in the record supports that label. It’s a kid’s insult with no evidence behind it.
The Boss Has Other Ideas
Gane’s wish list may run into Dana White’s. Bleacher Report, via Championship Rounds, reported a White dream card that includes Aspinall vs. Jon Jones and Hokit vs. Alex Pereira. Neither fight involves the man holding the belt.
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So Gane can want Aspinall all he likes. If Hokit pulls the upset Saturday night, White’s fantasy card suddenly has a heavyweight champion on it, and he isn’t French.
