The highly anticipated UFC 321 heavyweight clash between Britain's Tom Aspinall and France's Ciryl Gane ended in major controversy and disappointment. The fight was stopped in the first round after Aspinall sustained a severe eye poke from his opponent, leading to a no-contest ruling. However, the incident has sparked a fierce war of words, with Aspinall levelling serious accusations against Gane.
The Controversial Incident at UFC 321
The main event of UFC 321 in October was cut short under unfortunate circumstances. During an exchange, Ciryl Gane's fingers made contact with Tom Aspinall's eye, causing significant injury. The referee was forced to halt the bout as Aspinall could not continue, leaving fans and fighters frustrated. While accidental eye pokes are not uncommon in MMA, Aspinall's subsequent reaction has fueled a heated debate about the nature of the foul.
Aspinall's Stance: Accusations of Intentional Cheating
Tom Aspinall has been vocal since the event, insisting the eye poke was not an accident. In a detailed explanation on his YouTube channel, the British fighter accused Gane of systematic cheating throughout their brief encounter. "The guy was trying to poke my eyes out all the way through that round," Aspinall claimed. He elaborated that in multiple exchanges, Gane had his fingers extended towards Aspinall's eyes, a tactic he believes was used to compromise him intentionally.
To bolster his claim, Aspinall referenced comments made by the legendary Jon 'Bones' Jones. Jones, who fought and defeated Gane in 2023, had previously labelled the Frenchman a fighter who uses dirty tactics. Aspinall quoted Jones, stating, "Even the GOAT himself said before he fought him that Ciryl Gane is a cheater and uses dirty tactics." For Aspinall, this served as a character witness, albeit one highlighting negative traits.
Ben Askren's Rebuttal: Labelling Aspinall 'Whiny'
Not everyone is buying Aspinall's narrative. Former Bellator champion and UFC fighter Ben Askren has publicly criticized Aspinall's persistent accusations. Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account, Askren did not mince words. He called the Brit's behaviour "so whiny" and stated that the constant blame game was a "bad look" for Aspinall. Askren's comment represents a significant voice from within the MMA community pushing back against the idea of premeditated foul play, suggesting Aspinall should move on from the incident.
The Aftermath and Unresolved Tension
As of now, the official result from the October event remains a no-contest. Tom Aspinall appears undeterred by Askren's criticism and has not publicly engaged with the former champion's remarks. His focus remains on calling out what he perceives as a deliberate act that robbed fans of a proper fight and him of a potential victory. The situation leaves a cloud over the potential for a rematch, which many fans are now demanding to settle the score definitively. This controversy highlights the fine line in combat sports between accidental fouls and gamesmanship, a debate that is sure to continue.
