Overview
- Ngannou told TMZ the eye pokes clearly affected Tom Aspinall’s vision and argued continuing would have been unsafe in a combat sport.
- The UFC 321 heavyweight title fight in Abu Dhabi was halted in Round 1 and ruled a No Contest after Ciryl Gane poked Aspinall in both eyes.
- Aspinall was evaluated at the arena and taken to hospital, and subsequent reports indicate he has continued to deal with the effects.
- UFC president Dana White said a rematch will be arranged at the earliest opportunity, contingent on Aspinall’s medical clearance.
- Jon Jones criticized Aspinall for not continuing and drew backlash, as the incident fueled wider debate over safety protocols and accidental fouls.