Tom Aspinall was swiftly taken to the hospital following his bout with Ciryl Gane, which was declared a no contest due to an accidental eye-poke.
The British fighter was crowned the undisputed champion earlier this year after Jon Jones surprisingly retired from the sport. Aspinall’s most recent fight before UFC 321 was in July 2024, where he successfully defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.
Keen to get back in action, Aspinall eagerly accepted a fight with Gane after a long break. While the Frenchman had previously fallen short in two undisputed title fights, UFC 321 marked his third shot at the coveted championship.
In a highly anticipated main event in Abu Dhabi, disaster struck in the first round when Aspinall was accidentally poked in both eyes by Gane. Despite being given five minutes to recover, concerns grew within the MMA community when Aspinall admitted he couldn’t see out of his right eye. The fight was ultimately called off, and Aspinall was promptly taken to the hospital for evaluation.
Known for his explosive style, Aspinall faced an aggressive start from Gane in the match. The Frenchman landed multiple strikes early on, aiming to force the champion on the defensive. As blood began to flow from Aspinall’s nose, the momentum seemed to be shifting in Gane’s favor until the eye-poke incident occurred.
Following the fight, Aspinall expressed frustration over the situation, emphasizing the impact of the eye-poke on his ability to continue. Gane also apologized for the turn of events and expressed disappointment in the fight’s outcome and its implications for the future.
UFC President Dana White confirmed plans to reschedule the heavyweight clash despite the unfortunate interruption. He expressed annoyance at the situation but indicated a desire to see a rematch take place.
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