Overview
- Referee Jason Herzog stopped the bout at 4:35 of Round 1 after replays showed Ciryl Gane’s fingers caught both of Tom Aspinall’s eyes, leading officials to rule an accidental foul and a no-contest.
- Aspinall told doctors he could not see and was taken to a local hospital in Abu Dhabi; initial reports indicated no serious damage, with further evaluation still required.
- UFC CEO Dana White said the promotion intends to schedule an immediate rematch as soon as Aspinall is cleared, a call echoed by Daniel Cormier and other commentators.
- Gane apologized for the unintentional poke, while boos from the Etihad Arena crowd drew a forceful response from Aspinall and later defense from his corner against claims he quit.
- The inconclusive result leaves the heavyweight title picture unresolved, with the champion retaining his belt and the division awaiting clarity from a rebooked matchup.