Overview
- At UFC Vegas 110, referee Mark Smith used instant replay to identify an Ante Delija eye poke before restarting the fight, after which Waldo Cortes-Acosta scored a knockout at 3:59 of Round 1.
- Cortes-Acosta said he continued with severely impaired vision and then publicly called out champion Tom Aspinall, later describing Aspinall as having “quit” after his own eye-poke stoppage at UFC 321.
- Delija posted a statement disputing the outcome, alleging improper procedure during the pause and restart and claiming he was “robbed.”
- Commentators Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier questioned whether a restart was permitted under protocol, highlighting confusion over replay use and in-cage procedures.
- Calls grew for equipment and rule changes as fighters urged glove redesigns and stricter penalties, while Aspinall remains in recovery with reported vision issues and a planned Gane rematch pending medical clearance.