Tom Aspinall Remains Vision-Impaired After UFC 321 Eye Poke Injury

Tom Aspinall, the UFC heavyweight champion, suffered a severe eye injury during his first title defense at UFC 321, caused by accidental eye pokes from Ciryl Gane. Despite retaining his title due to the fight being ruled a no contest, Aspinall has been left with significant vision loss, particularly in his right eye which remains completely gray and without sight, while his left eye has about 50% vision. His father, Andy Aspinall, has provided updates revealing ongoing difficulties with his son's vision, including blurred sight and the need for further medical tests, including a CT scan to assess possible bone damage. Medical experts suggest that if the injury is limited to a corneal abrasion without retinal or globe damage, Aspinall could recover within a few weeks, but his current condition indicates a more serious impact. The incident has raised concerns about safety in MMA, especially regarding eye pokes, prompting calls for changes in rules or equipment to prevent such injuries, despite UFC's recent glove redesign efforts. Beyond the physical injury, Aspinall is reportedly struggling mentally with the fight's outcome and the uncertainty about his recovery, compounded by criticism from some in the MMA community who question his decision to stop fighting after the injury.