Dustin Poirier can sympathize with Ciryl Gane ahead of his heavyweight title shot tomorrow night (Sat., Oct. 25, 2025) at UFC 321 LIVE on ESPN+ pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, because “Diamond” also had multiple attempts to hoist UFC gold.
Gane, who has already come up short in title fights against Francis Ngannou (UFC 270 in Jan. 2022) and Jon Jones (UFC 285 in March 2023), will challenge rising English superstar and current UFC heavyweight king, Tom Aspinall, this
weekend at UFC 321. Based on Aspinall’s youth, well-rounded skillset, and one-punch knockout power, this may be Gane’s toughest test out of all three title fights.
Like Gane, other top contenders in the sport have climbed the ladder only to fall short when it mattered most. This includes UFC legend and all-time fan favorite, Dustin Poirier. The recently-retired lightweight had three chances to win the undisputed 155-pound title, but lost each time by submission. “Diamond” was fighting the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev, but each loss what still a major pill to swallow.
Ahead of Gane’s third shot at UFC gold this weekend at UFC 321, Poirier revealed his sympathy for the heavyweight contender. Gane must be feeling an incredible amount of pressure thinking this could be his last chance to win it all, but “Diamond” is here to let “Bon Gamin” know he’s not alone.
“Have I ever been in his shoes,” Poirier recently told MMA Junkie. “I have the shoes right here. I’ve lived in those shoes. It’s a lot. It’s a lot on yourself every time you go to sleep at night. When you wake up, when you go to the gym you’re thinking about, ‘This could be the last time I ever get a chance to make this happen.’
“Every fight is different, every fighter’s mindset is different. Some people love that feeling. Some people crumble from that feeling. But it’s a feeling for sure, and it’s there. It’s there. He’s thinking about it.”
What do you think, fight fans? Is there really more pressure on Gane this weekend at UFC 321 given this is his third shot at UFC heavyweight gold?
Let us know!
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