MMA Fighting

On the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC legend Matt Brown and Damon Martin discuss the fallout from UFC 321 and Tom Aspinall not being able to continue after an eye poke ended his first title defense as undisputed champion. Brown responds to critics saying Aspinall should have fought with one eye plus did Ciryl Gane expose him in that first round? Plus we’ll talk Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira or Conor McGregor headlining the UFC White House card and much more. Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The unfortunate end to UFC 321 left a bad taste in the mouths of MMA fans as an accidental eye poke from Ciryl Gane led to the main event against heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall ending in a No Contest. Considering how things went down, it seems as if the UFC will run that fight back, but is that the fight to make following the historic ending to the contest? On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss where Aspinall and Gane go from the brutal ending to Saturday's pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba following Dern's vacant strawweight championship victory in the co-main event, Umar Nurmagomedov after his unanimous decision win over Mario Bautista in the featured bout, Alexander Volkov following his split decision win over Jailton Almeida, along with fellow main card winner Azamat Murzakanov, and more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Alexander K. Lee: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AlexanderKLee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a 455 day absence, Tom Aspinall returned to the UFC octagon to defend his newly-minted heavyweight title for the first time against Ciryl Gane, and despite the challenger being a massive underdog, Gane was prepared for the test. Unfortunately, an accidental, yet brutal eye poke from Gane led to the first championship fight coming to an abrupt end via No Contest in UFC history. Following UFC 321, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew react to the awful ending of the card that had fans up in arms, how Aspinall and Gane both looked before the fight was stopped, and if the UFC should run it right back. Additionally, they discuss Mackenzie Dern capturing the vacant strawweight title in the co-main event with a decision win over Virna Jandiroba, Umar Nurmagomedov defeating Mario Bautista, bonus winners, plus fan questions, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the first time in 455 days, Tom Aspinall walks to the UFC's octagon on Saturday to compete — but this time, he'll do so as the undisputed heavyweight champion, putting his title on the line for the first time against former interim champ Ciryl Gane. While this is likely Gane's last chance to become a full-on world champion, how much pressure is on Aspinall to deliver the goods at UFC 321? Ahead of Saturday's pay-per-view event, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew preview the card, the headliner between Aspinall and Gane, along with the stakes attached — both short and long term — for both fighters. Additionally, they'll discuss Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern 2 for the vacant strawweight title and where the division goes from Saturday, Umar Nurmagomedov attempting to bounce back from his loss to Merab Dvalishvili as he faces Mario Bautista, low-key fights and storylines, plus, they'll answer fan questions, and more. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The UFC heavyweight title reign of Tom Aspinall kicks off Saturday in the main event of UFC 321 as he defends his newly-minted undisputed title against Ciryl Gane. A lot has been made about the pressure Aspinall has heading into the fight, but is it a little bit overblown? Or, does Aspinall truly have more weight on his shoulders than most in UFC history heading into a fight? On an all-new edition of Between the Links, the panel discusses what's at stake for the rising heavyweight star, the pressure on Gane, and where an Aspinall loss would rank in all-time shocking moments. Additionally, topics may include Din Thomas' comments about the co-main event for the vacant strawweight title between Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern, Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista, other burning questions from the card, the full UFC 323 lineup being revealed, the fallout from UFC Vancouver, and much more. Join MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they answer your questions all show long. Follow Mike Heck: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@m_heckjr⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jed Meshew: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@JedKMeshew⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/dYpsgH⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out our full video catalog: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/u8VvLi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our playlists:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://goo.gl/eFhsvM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Like MMAF on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/uhdg7Z⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://goo.gl/nOATUI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Read More: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices