The main event of UFC 321 had to be stopped without a result after an accidental eye poke. Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is seriously frustrated.
This is not how the UFC martial arts empire had imagined it: a major heavyweight title fight in the MMA league ended in disaster on Sunday.
At the UFC 321 event in Abu Dhabi, champion Tom Aspinall from England put his belt on the line in his first title defense against Ciryl Gane from France.
The fight at the Etihad Arena had to be stopped after less than five minutes without a result – due to an unintentional but serious eye poke by the challenger.
UFC 321: Aspinall’s fight against Gane is stopped
Four minutes and 35 seconds had elapsed in the first round in the Octagon when Gane accidentally hit Aspinall in the right eye with his finger. In accordance with the rules, the fight was interrupted and Aspinall was given five minutes to recover – but it didn’t help.
After the break, Aspinall reported that he still couldn’t see anything. Referee Jason Herzog was forced to end the fight and declare it a “no contest.”
“I’m sorry – for the fans, for everyone,” Gane apologized. “We put a lot of energy into this. I’m very disappointed, but that’s the way the sport is.”
Aspinall, who was taken to hospital for further examination after the fight, was equally frustrated: “This is bullshit, complete bullshit. I’m pissed off, I can hardly open my eye.”
Dana White holds out prospect of rematch
The 32-year-old Aspinall had been interim heavyweight champion since November 2023, after a title match between then-champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic was canceled due to an injury to Jones.
When Jones retired in June, Aspinall was promoted to “real” champion. The fact that his first defense turned into an unwanted farce is particularly bitter for him and the league given the previous circumstances.
“The heavyweight division is still in ruins after the Aspinall-Gane disaster,” commented ESPN – notably the UFC’s own US media partner.
League boss Dana White also spoke of a “shitty ending” to the fight night – and immediately held out the prospect of a rematch.
