MMA UFC

MMA World Reacts to UFC 321’s Shocking Ending as Tom Aspinall’s First Title Defense Ends in Disaster

MMA UFC

Jon Jones and Alex Pereira Agree to Save the Heavyweight Division After UFC 321 Debacle

MMA UFC

Ciryl Gane Net Worth Revealed Ahead of UFC 321 Championship Shot vs. Tom Aspinall

MMA UFC

Tom Aspinall Net Worth Explodes Ahead of UFC 321 Title Defense vs. Ciryl Gane

MMA UFC

UFC 321 Walkout Songs: What Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane, Mackenzie Dern and Others Jammed To

MMA UFC

Umar Nurmagomedov Potentially Locks In Key Agreement with Dana White for Next 135-Pound Title Shot

MMA UFC

5 Active UFC Fighters With the Most Ground Control Time Percentage in Company History

MMA UFC

Paddy Pimblett Goes Off on “Fake” Ilia Topuria, Calls Him a Conor McGregor Copycat

MMA UFC

UFC 321: Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane Full Fight Card, PPV Price, Date, Time and How to Watch the Event

MMA UFC

6 UFC Fighters Who Came Up Short in All Three of Their Undisputed Title Fights

MMA

MMA World Reacts to UFC 321’s Shocking Ending as Tom Aspinall’s First Title Defense Ends in Disaster

Published

on

MMA World Reacts to UFC 321’s Shocking Ending as Tom Aspinall’s First Title Defense Ends in Disaster

What was supposed to be Tom Aspinall’s triumphant return to the Octagon after a 14-month layoff ended in controversy at UFC 321. The main event featured Aspinall defending his undisputed heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane, but the fight came to a shocking halt in the opening round. At 4:35 of Round 1, a brutal accidental double eye poke from Gane left Aspinall unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to call the bout a no-contest. 

Despite being given nearly four minutes and examined by two cageside doctors, the Englishman repeatedly stated that his vision was compromised and he couldn’t continue. As a result, the fight was waved off, and Aspinall retained his heavyweight championship in disappointing fashion.

UFC 321 Ends in Chaos as Ciryl Gane’s Accidental Double Eye Poke Forces No-Contest Against Tom Aspinall

The heavyweight division was expected to usher in a new era following Jon Jones’ retirement earlier this year and Aspinall’s promotion to undisputed champion. However, the Englishman’s long-awaited first title defense at UFC 321 ended in pure frustration and chaos. 

After reigning as interim champion for more than 550 days and enduring exhausting negotiations with Jones, Aspinall finally stepped back into the Octagon, only for fate to strike cruelly once again. 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by UFC (@ufc)

With just 25 seconds left in the opening round, the fight came to a halt after an accidental double eye poke from Gane left the champion unable to see. The Abu Dhabi crowd erupted in boos, which only added to Aspinall’s anger. 

During his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, the visibly emotional champion lashed out at the reaction from the fans. He said, “I just got fing poked knuckle-deep in my eyeball. What the f? Why are you booing? What am I supposed to do about it? I didn’t do the f***ing poke. I can’t see.”

“This is bulls***. The fight was just getting going. Complete bulls***. I’m pissed off. I can hardly open my eye. Look, look — f***ing double poke, both eyeballs,” Aspinall added, reacting to the replay of Gane’s foul.

ALSO READ: Umar Nurmagomedov Potentially Locks In Key Agreement with Dana White for Next 135-Pound Title Shot

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by SportsCenter (@sportscenter)

It was an anticlimactic end to a bout that seemed to be heating up. Both fighters had early moments of success. Gane’s sharp jab bloodied Aspinall’s nose, while the champion landed heavy kicks to the head, body, and legs. But instead of a defining performance, Aspinall will now have to wait even longer to cement his legacy.

As for the Frenchman who entered the Octagon in his third title bout, he admitted after the fight that he wasn’t sure what the future holds. Dana White later confirmed that Aspinall was immediately transported to the hospital for medical evaluation.

The inconclusive ending left fans and fighters alike stunned, with several MMA veterans taking to social media to react to the unfortunate turn of events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The irony of the ending wasn’t lost on anyone. Just as the heavyweight division was poised to move on from the Jon Jones era, the double eye poke plunged it right back into chaos. In a cruel twist, the incident even echoed Jones’ own controversial history of eye pokes during his UFC reign. Now, the focus shifts to when the fight will be rebooked and when Aspinall will finally get the chance to make a proper defense of his heavyweight title inside the Octagon.

Related Topics:

Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.

Continue Reading