UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall criticized for stopping fight vs Ciryl Gane after double-poke in eyes

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Tom Aspinall’s return to the octagon in Abu Dhabi didn’t go as planned on Saturday night, as his bout with Ciryl Gane quickly ended after an accidental poke in the eye.

In fact, Gane hit both of Aspinall’s eyes late in the first round, ultimately leading to the no-contest in the main event of the night.

But Aspinall saying he couldn’t continue the fight led to boos from the crowd and widespread debate from fans and experts alike, including former UFC fighter and current ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen.

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Britain's Tom Aspinall reacts after being hit in the eye while fighting Ciryl Gane during their UFC heavyweight title bout at UFC 321 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi early on October 26, 2025.  (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images)

"Being poked in the eye is illegal, but to fight with one eye is very common," Sonnen said on ESPN’s 321 post-match show. "The opponent is trying to hit your eye, he’s trying to bust you up and make your nose bleed. So that part of it, it does have a question mark for guys like Anthony [Smith] and I. We are trying to be polite. We are trying to show grace, but in all fairness, you’re the heavyweight champion of the world. You’ve got to fight with one eye at times."

Video replay showed that Gane clearly landed both of his fingers in Aspinall’s eyes, though the heavyweight champion was holding an ice pack on his right eye after the match. He was heated during his post-match interview with Daniel Cormier.

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