Copyright manchestereveningnews
Paddy Pimblett is backing Tom Aspinall to dominate Ciryl Gane in tonight's UFC 321 main event. Aspinall faces former interim heavyweight champion Gane in a fight that headlines the card in Abu Dhabi. He and Pimblett have been training together at the same gym in preparation for this bout. 'The Baddy' is now throwing his support behind the Salford fighter as he prepares to defend his belt for the first time since being promoted to undisputed champion earlier this summer following Jon Jones' retirement from MMA . Aspinall fights for the first time since knocking out Curtis Blaydes at Co-op Live last summer. "I think Tom will dominate him," Dr Squatch ambassador for the Manladia campaign Pimblett told the Daily Mail . " I don't see any other way that it could go, to be honest; I genuinely don't. "Tom is brilliant. I've trained with Tom; he's one of the coolest dudes you'll ever meet, such a nice guy." 'The Baddy' further explained: "I just don't see a way that Ciryl Gane can beat him unless it is like a big, crazy knockout that catches Tom off guard. I don't see how Tom can get beaten there." Pimblett added: "I'd say he has fought someone of the striking level of Gane before because he fought Sergei Pavlovich and knocked him out. Pavlovich, at the time, at least, was one of the most dangerous knockout artists in the UFC, and Tom knocked him out in two minutes or something (one minute and nine seconds). "So you could even say he has fought someone with better striking than Ciryl Gane; Gane is more of a technical striker, but I just can't see Tom losing that fight. He's got too much for Gane because he can strike with him, but he can take him down at will and submit him if he wanted to." Aspinall shares this confidence, declaring at the weigh-in: "This is going to be a very special performance, guys, make sure you tune in, this is big." Nevertheless, he has prepared for a lengthier bout than typical. "My opponent moves really well," Aspinall told the BBC , "so I'm gonna have to keep up with him moving. "He's very athletic; he's got great cardio, so I obviously want to be able to match that or get as close to it as possible." Aspinall continued, "I'd much prefer a short fight, but if I have to do a long fight, that's fine." He has also discussed holding the heavyweight title. "The ultimate goal has been done a long time ago," Aspinall said, "which is to do this full-time. "I have been doing this full-time for a long time now; that was the ultimate goal. Anything on top of that is good. "As for being a long-reigning heavyweight champion? We will just see how it goes, but I am confident that I am the best fighter in the division. "But it's heavyweight MMA; you never know what is going to happen; well, there are two things that can happen – you can win or lose. You never really know. "The heavyweight title is like a hot potato; people have dropped it left and right. It doesn't tend to stay around for you too long."
