Overview
- UFC 321’s heavyweight title fight was ruled a no contest at 4:35 of Round 1 after Ciryl Gane accidentally poked both of Tom Aspinall’s eyes, leaving the champion unable to continue.
- Four days later, Aspinall’s father says he still cannot see out of his right eye and has roughly 50% vision in his left, with additional tests and a CT scan scheduled despite initial Abu Dhabi doctors finding no dangerous damage.
- UFC CEO Dana White says he intends to rebook Aspinall vs. Gane as soon as possible, though medical clearance and a likely suspension could delay any return into 2026.
- Public reaction remains divided, with Michael Bisping, Matt Brown and Sean O’Malley defending Aspinall’s decision to stop, and Daniel Cormier noting that saying “I can’t see” effectively ends a fight.
- The incident has renewed calls for safer glove designs and stricter foul enforcement, with some voices arguing such eye pokes should result in disqualification rather than a no contest.