Tom Aspinall Retains UFC Heavyweight Title After No-Contest Eye Poke at UFC 321

Tom Aspinall's first UFC Heavyweight Championship defense at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest due to an accidental double eye poke by Gane, which left Aspinall unable to see out of his right eye. The fight was stopped in the first round after Aspinall took recovery time but remained visually impaired, leading to medical treatment including hospitalization and eye exams. UFC President Dana White expressed interest in rebooking the rematch soon despite calling it a "pain" to arrange, while some fans and reporters speculated tension between White and Aspinall's father and coach, Andy Aspinall, over criticisms of UFC and fighter inactivity. Commentator and former champion Daniel Cormier, who saw Aspinall backstage post-fight, detailed the severity of the injuries, noting that Aspinall's right eye was bandaged and he was visibly distressed by the crowd's negative reaction. Both fighters showed frustration with the outcome, with Gane apologizing and appearing emotional over the missed opportunity. The incident has sparked calls for stronger penalties on accidental eye pokes to protect fighters' health.