Tom Aspinall was swiftly hospitalized after his bout with Ciryl Gane resulted in a no-contest due to an accidental eye-poke.
Earlier this year, the British fighter was crowned the undisputed champion following Jon Jones’ unexpected retirement. Aspinall’s most recent fight before UFC 321 occurred in July 2024 when he successfully defended his interim title against Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.
Keen on getting back in action, Aspinall eagerly accepted a fight with Gane to make up for lost time. While Aspinall aimed to have at least one fight this year, Gane, a seasoned contender, had previously fallen short in two undisputed title attempts before UFC 321.
In what was anticipated to be a thrilling main event in Abu Dhabi, disaster struck in the first round when Aspinall was unintentionally poked in both eyes by his opponent. Despite being granted five minutes to recover, concerns escalated when Aspinall admitted to vision impairment in his right eye, leading to the fight being called off and Aspinall rushed to the hospital.
Recognized for his explosive starts, it was Gane who took the offensive in the first round, landing jabs and kicks on Aspinall. Following Aspinall’s nosebleed, the accidental eye-poke disrupted the bout, prompting the referee to declare a no-contest result.
Expressing frustration, Aspinall criticized the situation post-fight, highlighting his vision impairment and disappointment in the premature end of the match. Gane also shared his regret over the fight’s outcome and expressed disappointment over the disrupted future trajectory of the bout.
UFC President Dana White confirmed plans to reschedule the heavyweight showdown following the unfortunate turn of events at UFC 321.