Jun 7, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, UNITED STATES; Waldo Cortes Acosta (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Serghei Spivac (red gloves) during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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Waldo Cortes-Acosta Reveals His Verdict On The Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane Rematch

Eye pokes remain one of the most frustrating aspects of MMA for fighters and fans alike. They can completely change the trajectory of a fight in seconds, turning competitive bouts into unsatisfying conclusions. The heavyweight division has seen its share of controversial endings over the years, but few have sparked as much debate as what happened at UFC 321.

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane were supposed to settle their heavyweight rivalry definitively on October 25, 2025. Instead, the fight ended as a no-contest after Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes late in the first round. Aspinall couldn’t continue, leaving everyone wondering what would have happened if the fight went the distance. Now Waldo Cortes-Acosta reveals his verdict on the Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane rematch.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Breaks Down Gane’s Dominant First Round

Cortes-Acosta didn’t hold back when analyzing what happened at UFC 321 before the unfortunate eye pokes ended everything. He stated that Gane looked amazing and appeared to be on a completely different level than Aspinall during their time in the octagon together. That’s high praise considering Aspinall has been considered one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world. Talking to Ariel Helwani, this is what he said:

“I think Tom is a little worried about Ciryl Gane. In this fight he looked amazing, looking on a different level than Aspinall. The jab was connecting very good. I think Tom Aspinall tasted blood too early in the round. I think he was pushing to not try and fight any more after the eye poke.”

.@WaldoCortesUFC believes Ciryl Gane will win the rematch against Tom Aspinall:

"I think Tom is a little worried about Ciryl Gane. In this fight he looked amazing, looking on a different level than Aspinall. The jab was connecting very good.

I think Tom Aspinall tasted blood… pic.twitter.com/xz03zw426d
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 26, 2025

The Cuban heavyweight specifically mentioned Gane’s jab connecting very well throughout the opening round. Gane has always been known for his technical striking and movement, rare attributes at heavyweight where most fighters rely more on power than precision. His kickboxing background shows in how he sets up combinations and maintains distance. Against Aspinall, those skills were apparently on full display before the accidental foul occurred.

Cortes-Acosta’s observations carry some weight because he competes in the same UFC division and understands the nuances of heavyweight fighting. His perspective stems from his own recent experience where he continued fighting despite suffering an eye poke. That personal context explains why he might view Aspinall’s inability to continue with some skepticism. But eye pokes affect different people differently, and getting poked in both eyes simultaneously is legitimately dangerous and debilitating.

(Image Credit: Vincent Carchietta – Imagn Images)

Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall

Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!