Tom Aspinall undergoes double eye surgery after poke incident, doctor explains what comes next

Tom Aspinall’s long and complicated road to recovery has reached a crucial stage, with the UFC heavyweight champion now undergoing double eye surgery following the controversial poke incident that derailed his title defense.

Eye poke fallout continues months after UFC 321

The injury dates back to Aspinall’s UFC 321 main event clash against Ciryl Gane last October, where a fight-ending eye poke abruptly halted proceedings.

What initially appeared to be a short-term setback soon escalated into a prolonged medical ordeal, leaving Aspinall sidelined and at odds with the UFC.

In the immediate aftermath, UFC president Dana White publicly claimed that Tom Aspinall “didn’t want to continue,” a statement that sparked widespread debate within the MMA community.

As weeks passed, further details emerged that painted a far more serious picture of the damage sustained by the British heavyweight.

Severity of injury leads to double eye surgery

As the extent of the injury became clearer, Aspinall revealed that surgical intervention was unavoidable. Nearly four months removed from the incident, the 32-year-old has now undergone double eye surgery with Optegra Eye Health Care in an effort to repair the damage and restore his vision.

While White later downplayed the issue by suggesting Aspinall only required eye injections—and even stated he no longer wanted to discuss the injury—the procedure confirms the seriousness of the condition and the challenges the champion continues to face.

Doctor outlines recovery roadmap after surgery

Despite the successful operation, Tom Aspinall’s journey back to full fighting fitness is far from complete. Optegra Eye Health Care provided an update on his condition, emphasizing that recovery remains ongoing.