UFC 321 Abu Dhabi Event: Darn Wins the Title, Unfortunate Ending in Asparinor Fight

UFC 321 was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 25, and it turned out to be a rollercoaster event. Multiple dramas unfolded on the main card, with particular attention drawn to Mackenzie Dern’s historic championship win and the accident during the Tom Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane fight.

Dern Reaches the Strawweight Top

The biggest success story was Mackenzie Dern capturing the vacant UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. She defeated Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47×2), securing her status as UFC champion.

Dern’s grappling-driven strategy paid off, as she executed nine takedowns while maintaining pressure with strikes and jabs on the feet. Jandiroba responded with two takedowns but overall, Dern’s control was superior.

With this victory, Dern became the ninth champion in the history of the strawweight division and earned a rare distinction as a female fighter who has won top titles in multiple martial arts disciplines. She is the first woman to have won the IBJJF World Championship, ADCC Gold Medal, and UFC Championship. She will likely be recorded alongside fighters like Kayla Harrison and Holly Holm as a top achiever across multiple martial arts.

Aspinall vs. Gane Ends with Eye Poke

The highly anticipated heavyweight title fight ended unexpectedly. In the late stages of the first round, Cyril Gane committed an eye poke (unintentional eye attack) to Tom Aspinall, rendering the champion unable to continue, and the bout was declared a no contest.

From the early part of the fight, Gane appeared to be in control. He used precise jabs and straight rights to swell Aspinall’s eyes and caused bleeding from his nose. It was evident to spectators that Aspinall was not fully in sync with the fight’s flow, and after the match, the champion showed signs of distress in his post-fight interview, receiving boos from the stadium.

The eye poke was extremely serious, involving simultaneous contact to both eyes—a rare case. Some fighters and officials questioned the explanation of the incident, but the medical decision on the fight remained unchanged.

This decision makes a rematch between Aspinall and Gane a top priority. UFC 323 currently has 13 scheduled fights, with the possibility of adding a 14th card, but incorporating this rematch would make the final pay-per-view event of the ESPN era even more compelling.

Main Card Results

Heavyweight Championship:

• Tom Aspinall© vs Cyril Gane → No Contest (Eye poke)

Strawweight Championship:

• Mackenzie Dern vs Virna Jandiroba → Dern wins by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47×2) New Champion

Other Main Card:

• Umar Nurmagomedov vs Mario Bautista → Nurmagomedov wins by unanimous decision (30-27×3)
• Alexander Volkov vs Jilton Almeida → Volkov wins by split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
• Azamat Murtzakhanov vs Aleksandar Rakic → Murtzakhanov wins by KO in the first round (punch) Bonus Awarded

Prelim Highlights

Several impressive finishes were recorded during the prelims. Kuilan Salkild earned a bonus with a head kick KO against Nasrat Hakparast in the first round. Walter Walker finished Louis Sutherland with a heel hook submission in the first round. Multiple decision victories also contributed to the overall quality of UFC 321.

Up-and-coming fighters like Ikram Aliskerov and Ludovit Klein secured wins by decision, highlighting the rise of new stars in the event.