UFC 321 left a variety of followers disenchanted, and Paddy Pimblett goes so far as to name the cardboard one of many worst main exhibits the promotion has ever placed on.
On paper, this previous Saturday’s pay-per-view occasion seemed fantastic. Tom Aspinall was scheduled for his first protection as undisputed heavyweight champion towards Ciryl Gane. Virna Jandiroba and Mackenzie Dern would battle to choose up the crown left behind by Zhang Weili. And Alexander Volkov, Jailton Almeida, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Mario Bautista have been in featured bouts with reputable contender stakes.
Nonetheless, every part fell aside on the finish of the night when Aspinall vs. Gane resulted in a no-contest when Aspinall was unable to proceed after being poked within the eyes. The group at Etihad Area showered the cage with boos and social media was unkind to Aspinall and Gane after their battle inconclusively in underneath 5 minutes.
Pimblett posted his response to the end and the cardboard itself and his overview was unkind.
“If this does finish like this, this might be one of many worst pay-per-views in UFC’s historical past,” Pimblett stated on his YouTube channel. “One of many greatest disappointments ever in terms of a card.”
Objectively, Pimblett is spot on, as this was simply the primary UFC championship principal occasion ever to finish in a no-contest. A extremely anticipated mild heavyweight championship grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 214 can also be within the books as a no-contest, however that was initially a knockout win for Jones earlier than it was oveturned as a consequence of Jones later failing a drug take a look at.
It was a disappointing capper to an up-and-down card, which additionally noticed Volkov defeat Almeida in a snoozer and Nurmagomedov rating a hard-fought however doubtless fell in need of turning into the clear-cut No. 1 contender at 135 kilos.
“The prelims to start out it off weren’t dangerous,” Pimblett stated. “The large heavyweight [Valter Walker] getting one other heel hook, the Aussie child [Quillan Salkilld] knocking Nasrat [Haqparast] out. Even the beginning of the pay-per-view, the primary battle, that 15-0 undefeated dude [Azamat Murzakanov] knocked [Aleksandar] Rakic out. Considering that is shaping as much as be an awesome card after which Almeida simply tries to carry Volkov down prefer it’s a grappling match. Volkov will get the win, that was a boring battle. Then Umar-Bautista had about 20 thrilling seconds in quarter-hour, that was one other boring battle, Umar wins a call.
“Co-main occasion wasn’t too dangerous, Mackenzie Dern and Jandiroba, however everybody was simply trying ahead to the principle occasion, Aspinall-Gane. It was shaping as much as be an awesome battle after which 15 seconds left within the spherical, will get poked within the eye and he can’t see, so I don’t know actually what Tom’s meant to do there. If he can’t see, he can’t be preventing, can he?”
One factor Pimblett received’t do is be part of the refrain of critics blaming Aspinall for not preventing by way of the foul. In Pimblett’s eyes, it was Gane who was primarily accountable for UFC 321 ending the way in which it did.
“‘Anticlimactic because it will get,’ Jon Anik, you aren’t improper,” Pimblett stated. “I feel they’ve obtained to run it again. You possibly can’t not try this battle once more. It was shaping as much as be battle, the most effective take a look at Tom’s had to this point within the UFC.
“Really feel dangerous for Tom. Really feel dangerous for Ciryl Gane, although it was his fault, it was unintentional, however nonetheless, it’s his fault that the battle’s not f*cking persevering with. Must do one thing with the gloves so you may’t try this along with your fingers.”
