UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall faced criticism for stopping his fight with Ciryl Gane after an accidental double-poke in the eyes, sparking debate among fans and MMA experts. The bout, which took place in Abu Dhabi, ended abruptly in the first round when Gane poked both of Aspinall’s eyes, leading to a no-contest ruling. Aspinall’s decision to retire from the fight drew boos from the crowd and sparked a heated debate among fans and analysts, with some questioning the champion’s judgment and others defending his choice given the severity of the injury.
Former UFC fighter and ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen defended Aspinall on the 321 post-match show, noting that eye pokes are not uncommon in MMA and that fighters often continue despite the pain. However, Sonnen also pointed out that as the champion, Aspinall had an obligation to push through such injuries. Video replay confirmed that Gane clearly landed both fingers in Aspinall’s eyes, and the champion was seen holding an ice pack on his right eye after the fight. During his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, Aspinall was visibly frustrated, calling the incident ‘bull—-‘ and expressing confusion over the crowd’s boos.
While some fans called for Aspinall to continue the fight, fellow MMA fighter Sean O’Malley defended him, citing the danger posed by Gane’s skill set. O’Malley argued that Aspinall was legally poked in the eye, which caused significant swelling and made it nearly impossible for him to see. He emphasized that Aspinall, as the titleholder, was expected to endure such challenges and that continuing the fight would have been extremely risky. The incident has reignited discussions about the rules governing eye injuries in MMA and whether fighters should be required to continue despite the pain and risk of further injury.
Aspinall, the 32-year-old Englishman, had not been in the octagon since July 2024 when he defeated Curtis Blaydes in the first round. The loss in his previous bout against Blaydes in July 2022 was due to a knee injury suffered on a kick, which he has since overcome. With a record of 15-3 in his UFC career and 11 knockouts, Aspinall has never gone to the third round in any of his fights. The outcome of this match has raised questions about the protocols for handling eye injuries in MMA and the expectations placed on titleholders to continue despite such incidents.