TLDR
- Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in no contest after double eye poke in first round
- Francis Ngannou supports Aspinall’s decision to stop fighting due to compromised vision
- Gane accidentally poked both of Aspinall’s eyes with his fingers in Abu Dhabi
- Some fans criticized Aspinall for not continuing the heavyweight title fight
- Dana White confirmed rematch will happen as soon as possible
Tom Aspinall defended his UFC Heavyweight Championship against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi at the end of October. The fight ended in controversy after an accidental eye poke stopped the bout.
Gane was finding success early in the opening round. However, the fight took a turn when he accidentally caught both of Aspinall’s eyes with his fingers.
The champion had difficulty seeing after the incident. Officials ruled the fight a no contest before the end of the first round.
Many fans expressed frustration with the outcome. Some criticized Aspinall for not continuing to fight through the injury.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou defended Aspinall’s decision in an interview with TMZ Sports. He explained why stopping the fight was the right call.
“I think that eye poke made a lot of news – more than the fight itself, more than the announcement of the fight,” Ngannou said. “It was a very controversial feeling, and I understand there was a lot of frustration from the fans’ side who were so excited to see the outcome.”
Ngannou confirmed that the eye poke was real and serious. He said it compromised Aspinall’s vision in a dangerous way.
Francis Ngannou backs Tom Aspinall saying losing with compromised vision would only bring criticism from the same fans 👏🔥
"I think the eye poke made more news than the fight itself. The eye poke compromised Tom's vision. An eye poke is not like getting kicked in the balls,… pic.twitter.com/OaR9ERH6QW
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 10, 2025
Why Eye Pokes Are Different
“The eye poke is not like you get kicked in the balls and you can recover and come back,” Ngannou explained. “It compromises your vision.”
Fighting with compromised vision creates serious safety concerns. Ngannou pointed out the risks of continuing in that condition.
“If you’re doing a combat sport with compromised vision, it’s not good at all,” he said. “What if your vision is compromised? Then maybe because of that, something happens, you lose the fight.”
Ngannou also addressed the criticism Aspinall received. He said the same fans would have called Aspinall stupid if he continued and lost because of the injury.
Rematch Plans
UFC CEO Dana White has already committed to rebooking the fight. He told reporters the rematch will happen as soon as possible.
The UFC has not announced which card will feature the rematch. No specific date has been set yet.
Aspinall remains the UFC Heavyweight Champion. The no contest result means he keeps his title.
Gane will get another chance to win the heavyweight championship. The French fighter was performing well before the accidental eye poke ended the bout.
