Ciryl Gane will put his heavyweight championship on the line against Josh Hokit in the main event of UFC 334, but the Frenchman enters the contest with plenty of controversy surrounding his recent rise to the top. His title opportunity came after Tom Aspinall was forced to relinquish the belt following persistent complications from the eye injury he sustained at UFC 321.
Gane was responsible for the double eye poke that left Aspinall unable to continue at UFC 321 in October 2025. The British heavyweight has remained sidelined ever since, with his recovery reportedly taking another difficult turn earlier this year. Despite the incident, Gane faced no disciplinary consequences and continued competing for the heavyweight crown.
The Frenchman later squared off against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250, where he captured the interim heavyweight championship. However, his performance was once again mired in controversy after he landed 11 illegal strikes to the back of Pereira’s head, drawing widespread criticism.
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Gane was subsequently elevated to undisputed champion and is now preparing for his first title defense at Madison Square Garden. Interestingly, Aspinall has weighed in on the upcoming matchup, and despite the bitter history between the two heavyweights, the former champion believes Gane will emerge victorious against Hokit.
In an interview with Cloudbet, Aspinall backed Gane to get the job done, predicting that the Frenchman would eventually find a finish in the later rounds. He explained, “I think Gane’s going to win. I think that ultimately Hokit’s going to tire, and Gane is going to keep him at the end of his punches and kicks.”
The Brit further explained how he sees Hokit having a chance if he can turn the fight into a messy, physical contest. However, he doesn’t expect that to happen. “I can see a way that Hokit can win by just making it ugly and roughing him up a little bit, but I don’t think it’s likely. I would say Ciryl Gane would do a late stoppage by strikes, fourth or fifth round, in my opinion.”
Aspinall’s prediction makes sense, particularly given Hokit’s tendency to burn through his energy early. That was noticeable at UFC 327, where the American threw everything into his striking exchanges against Curtis Blaydes at the expense of his gas tank. If he maintains that approach against Gane, he could find himself struggling as the fight progresses.
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Gane, meanwhile, has the tools to take advantage. His footwork, creative feints, and ability to switch stances make him difficult to read. He also does a good job of changing the pace of his attacks, mixing up his kicks and punches while using his movement to keep opponents guessing.
Add his clinch work to the equation, and Gane has several ways to frustrate Hokit, slow him down, and potentially find a late finish. Beyond his prediction, Aspinall will also have a personal reason to keep an eye on the result.
The Brit is targeting a return in 2027 and could eventually get the opportunity to face Gane for the heavyweight title if the Frenchman gets past Hokit at UFC 334.
