Dana White revealed he reversed his decision to place a $10 million bet after witnessing the outcome of the Tom Aspinall versus Ciryl Gane fight. White described the bout as a disaster, indicating the result was the direct reason he walked back his wagering plans.
Dana White revealed this week that he scrapped a planned $10 million personal bet after watching the outcome of Tom Aspinall's heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane, calling the fight a disaster and citing the result as the direct reason he walked away from the wager.
Aspinall, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, entered the bout carrying a 15-3 record and ranking sixth in the pound-for-pound standings. The 33-year-old Englishman, who trains out of Team Kaobon, stands six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach and has been one of the most statistically dominant heavyweights in recent memory, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 67 percent — figures that rank among the best in the division.
Gane, known as Bon Gamin, came in as the number-two ranked heavyweight with a 14-2 record. The 36-year-old Frenchman out of MMA Factory brings a longer reach of 81 inches and a technical striking style, averaging 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy. His 6-foot-4 frame and movement-based approach have made him one of the most technically sophisticated fighters at heavyweight.
Why it matters
- White's comments suggest the fight's outcome was unexpected enough to shift his confidence significantly
- Aspinall's standing as champion and top-six pound-for-pound fighter means any surprising result carries major divisional weight
- The heavyweight title picture could shift depending on how the result reshapes the top of the rankings, with Gane holding the number-two contender spot heading in
White did not specify which direction the result pushed him away from betting, but his characterization of the bout as a disaster indicates the outcome was far from straightforward for those invested in the matchup.
