Paddy Pimblett gives his prediction for Tom Aspinall's huge UFC 321 heavyweight clash with Ciryl Gane

Paddy Pimblett has predicted a demolition job when Tom Aspinall takes on Ciryl Gane in their UFC 321 heavyweight title showdown. 

The British superstar meets his French rival in Abu Dhabi on Saturday and his compatriot, who has trained with him, is adamant there can only be one winner. 

'I think Tom will dominate him. I don't see any other way that it could go to be honest, I genuinely don't,' The Baddy exclusively told Daily Mail Sport in his role as Dr Squatch ambassador for the Manladia campaign. 

'Tom is brilliant, I've trained with Tom. He's one of the coolest dudes you'll ever meet, such a nice guy.'

Pimblett sees views Aspinall's skillset as superior to Gane in all departments and limits the underdog's chances to a freakish piece of striking that lands without Aspinall seeing it coming. 

He went on: '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.'

Gane is incredibly athletic and possesses elite striking himself but, as Pimblett points out, this is nothing Aspinall hasn't seen at the highest level before after his brilliant 2023 win at Madison Square Garden to win the interim belt.   

'I'd say he has fought someone of the striking level of Gane before because he fought Sergei Pavlovich and knocked him out,' he explained. 

'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. 

'So you could even say he has fought someone with better striking than Ciryl Gane. Gane is more 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 is seen as having a massive advantage on the ground and will no doubt be tempted to follow the Jon Jones blueprint. 

The American cut through Gane like a knife through butter before submitting him with a guillotine choke in the first round of their contest two years ago. 

Despite Pimblett and the bookies' confidence in Aspinall, the Brit is keen to stress how dangerous he regards his title challenger to be. 

'I think there's this notion with the media and maybe the fans that Ciryl is not very good, which is just complete bulls***', he said this week.

'I think that he's really, really good. He's super talented, he's been at the top of the division for a number of years, which is not easy to do.

'He's been an interim champion himself. He's obviously had two title shots for the undisputed title, as well, so I think the guy is really good. 

'I've taken him extremely, extremely seriously. The fact that people expect it to be an easy fight, I don't read into that at all. I'm prepared for a really hard fight.' 

On paper, Aspinall is the dominant most well-rounded force in the division and could reign for years to come. 

But his division has a habit of throwing up seismic shocks when the big man put on the little gloves - a fact he is all too aware of, adding: 'As far as being a long-reigning heavyweight champion and stuff like that, we'll just see how it goes. 

'I am confident I am the best fighter in the division, but it's heavyweight MMA. You never know what's going to happen.'

Paddy Pimblett was speaking in his role as ambassador for Dr Squatch and the new Manladia campaign