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In a shocking turn of events, the main event of UFC 321 between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane came to an abrupt and disappointing end. What began as a thrilling heavyweight title clash in Abu Dhabi turned into an unfortunate stoppage after Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes, rendering the champion unable to continue.
A promising start cut short
The fight began exactly as fans had hoped — fast, technical, and brutal. Both heavyweights wasted no time in asserting dominance, trading heavy blows in the center of the Octagon. Gane’s sharp jab quickly found its mark, drawing blood from Aspinall’s nose, while the reigning champion responded with crushing leg kicks and powerful counters that kept the challenger cautious.
As the intensity grew, it appeared fans were in for a classic heavyweight battle. Gane’s fluid striking and Aspinall’s explosive movement had the Etihad Arena buzzing — until disaster struck late in the first round.
The unintentional eye poke
In a split second, the energy in the arena shifted. While throwing a kick, Ciryl Gane extended his lead hand to maintain distance, unintentionally poking Tom Aspinall in both eyes. The referee, Jason Herzog, immediately halted the action and called in the cageside doctor to assess the champion’s condition.
Aspinall could be heard repeatedly telling officials, “I can’t see out of my right eye.”
Despite several minutes given for recovery, his vision didn’t improve. At the 4:35 mark of Round 1, the fight was officially declared a no contest.
The crowd’s reaction quickly turned sour, booing the result and, unfairly, Aspinall himself. Visibly frustrated, the British fighter addressed the fans post-fight:
“Guys, I just got poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. What the f--- are you booing? I didn’t do the poke. This is bullshit — the fight was just getting going. I’m pissed off.”
Gane responds to the incident
Equally emotional, Ciryl Gane expressed disappointment over the anticlimactic finish and took responsibility for the unintentional foul.
“I feel sorry at first, I’m very sorry for the fans,” Gane said. “I’m sorry for Tom Aspinall. I’m sorry for myself. We put a lot of energy into this fight, and I’m disappointed, but this is the sport.”
The result leaves both fighters in an uncertain position, as neither secured closure in what was supposed to be a defining title bout. A rematch could be on the horizon, given the inconclusive ending and the stakes involved.
UFC 321 main card highlights
While the headliner ended in controversy, the rest of the UFC 321 card delivered several memorable performances:
Mackenzie Dern defeated Virna Jandiroba via unanimous decision to claim the vacant women’s strawweight title.
Umar Nurmagomedov returned to form, earning a clean sweep unanimous decision victory over Mario Bautista.
Alexander Volkov edged out Jailton Almeida via split decision in a grueling heavyweight contest.
Despite the anticlimactic ending to the main event, UFC 321 will be remembered as one of the most eventful cards of the year — albeit for an unfortunate reason.
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