Tom Aspinall faced criticism and frustration after a no-contest at UFC 321 due to an illegal eye poke by Ciryl Gane, leading to ongoing vision issues and uncertainty about a rematch.
Tom Aspinall’s been having a rough patch lately. At UFC 321, he defended his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane. Disaster struck. Gane delivered an illegal eye poke, leaving Aspinall unable to continue. Result? A no-contest. Fans and UFC CEO Dana White weren’t pleased. White even called it a “pain in the ass.”
Aspinall’s not thrilled either. “I’ve been having a lovely time, in and out of the hospital,” he sarcastically shared on YouTube. Tests, specialists, surgeons—it’s been a whirlwind. “Oh, it’s been a fantastic time,” he quipped.
As for White’s disappointment, Aspinall had his reasons. “I didn’t continue because I’m not a f*cking dummy,” he stated. Fighting Gane without vision? Not smart. Aspinall knows fights come with compromises. But a foul’s different.
He recalled a fight with Arlovski. Took a punch to the eyeball, couldn’t see, but continued. “If it’s a legal move, we fight through it,” he explained. But risking health over a foul? Not happening.
Some fans suggested he quit because he was losing. Aspinall disagrees. “The fight was going OK,” he insisted. Media hype said he’d run through Gane. But Aspinall knew Gane’s a tough matchup. “Really good defensively,” he noted.
Breaking it down, Gane’s defense and movement were on point. Aspinall had to take punches to land his own. “We knew that was happening,” he said. Nosebleeds? Part of the game. He expected a long, tough fight.
Frustration with White and fans aside, Aspinall’s most annoyed with Gane. He believes Gane was intentionally cheating. Initially, he thought it was an accident. But rewatching? Different story. “The guy was trying to f*cking poke my eyes out,” Aspinall claimed.
The eye poke left lasting effects. Aspinall still struggles with vision issues, including double vision. Training’s on hold. Rematch with Gane? Uncertain. “I have no idea,” he admitted. Aspinall’s eager to return but needs to be 100% first. Whenever the eye’s good, he’ll be back.