Join the Miguel Delaney Inside Football Get exclusive insights and behind-the scenes access to the Miguel Delaney: inside newsletter Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter Football newsletterTom Aspinall’s first defence of the undisputed UFC heavyweight title ended in bizarre and deflating fashion on Saturday, as he was poked in the eye in round one.The Briton was taking on Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 321, in Abu Dhabi, after a 15-month absence from the Octagon.• Follow live: UFC 321 fallout as Aspinall suffers eye poke from GaneAnd all the hype and tension gave way to an unexpected ending, when Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes at the same time.As is customary in these situations, the action was paused and a five-minute timer began, with Aspinall checked on by the referee and a doctor. The bout would have continued if the Wigan heavyweight was able to continue before the five-minute timer expired. Gane would have received a warning or, if the poke had been deemed intentional, he would have been docked a point.However, if a fighter is deemed unable (or deems him/herself unable) to keep competing before the five minutes run out – or at the end of that period – the bout is waved off. The bout is ruled a No Contest when the poke was determined to be accidental, as it happened in UFC 321. A fighter can be disqualified for an intentional poke. Eye pokes, however, are almost always deemed to be intentional.(AP)“What are you gonna do?” UFC president Dana White said at the post-fight press conference, before referencing a recent change – and change-back – in the style of UFC gloves: “No matter what you do with the gloves, it’s gonna happen.”Aspinall said in an interview after the fight in the cage that he was responding to the boos coming from the fans in the Etihad Stadium. “I just got poked knuckled-deep in the eyeball. What the f***, why are you booing? What am I supposed to do about it? I didn’t do the poke, I can’t see!“This is bulls***. The fight was just getting going. Look at this, a double eye poke,” He continued by pointing at a slow motion replay on the screen. Gane also received boos during his post-fight interviews in the Octagon. “I’m very sorry about this,” He said “for the crowd, for Tom Aspinall, for myself. This is the sport.”
2025-10-25 23:03:53
UFC eye poke rule explained after Tom Aspinall’s UFC 321 fight is ruined
