Heavyweight contender Josh Houquet has laid out a detailed plan for the UFC heavyweight division, demanding that champion Tom Aspinall either be stripped of the title or released outright. Houquet called for a fight with Ciryl Gane, arguing Aspinall has repeatedly delayed the division and that a new, more active champion is needed. He also addressed a potential future matchup with Alex Pereira, suggesting the BMF title be put on the line but preferring to first beat Gane and let Pereira rebuild his aura after his loss to Gane before they meet.
Heavyweight contender Josh Houquet has publicly demanded that the UFC either strip Tom Aspinall of the heavyweight title or cut him from the roster entirely, while simultaneously calling out Ciryl Gane as his preferred next opponent.
Houquet's target, Aspinall, holds a 15-3 record and currently sits at number six in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 33-year-old Englishman out of Team Kaobon is an unusually dangerous champion across multiple dimensions, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent accuracy rate while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes. Houquet's complaint is not about Aspinall's ability but his activity, arguing that the champion has repeatedly stalled a division in need of movement.
Gane, ranked first in the heavyweight division, is the man Houquet wants to fight first. The 36-year-old Frenchman carries a 14-2 record and trains out of MMA Factory. Standing six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach, Gane is one of the most technically polished strikers in the division, landing 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy.
Houquet also brought Alex Pereira into the conversation, though as a future possibility rather than an immediate target. Pereira, now ranked third at light heavyweight following his recent loss to Gane, carries a 13-4 record. The 39-year-old Brazilian has a 62 percent striking accuracy and a 79-inch reach. Houquet suggested that if and when they meet, the BMF title should be on the line, but indicated he would prefer to let Pereira recover and rebuild before that matchup happens.
Why it matters
- Houquet's push adds external pressure on the UFC to force Aspinall into action or vacate the heavyweight title
- A Houquet vs. Gane fight, if made, would be a genuine number-one contender scenario given Gane's divisional ranking
- Pereira's heavyweight future remains an open question after his loss to Gane, making Houquet's framing of a cross-divisional BMF clash a longer-term narrative to watch
