Sep 9, 2023; Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA; Referee Herb Dean during the fight of Blood Diamond (not pictured) and Charles Radtke (not pictured) during UFC 293 at Qudos Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

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UFC 321 Eye Poke Controversy: Referee Herb Dean Confirms Official Meeting To Revisit Eye Poke Rules

Eye pokes have plagued MMA for as long as the sport has existed. They are accidental (sometimes), painful, and they ruin perfectly good fights. Fans hate them, fighters fear them, and referees struggle to handle them consistently. The UFC 321 main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane brought this ongoing problem back into the spotlight in the worst way possible. Gane accidentally poked both of Aspinall’s eyes simultaneously during the opening round, leading to a no-contest decision.

The bizarre incident sparked massive debate about whether Aspinall genuinely couldn’t continue or if he exaggerated the injury. Now, veteran referee Herb Dean confirms official meeting to revisit eye poke rules following the controversy, suggesting real change might finally be coming to the sport.

Herb Dean Confirms Something Is Definitely Going To Happen

Speaking with Helen Yee, Herb Dean didn’t hold back about the frustration surrounding eye pokes. When Yee asked what could be done to prevent these incidents, Dean responded that enough people are fed up that action is inevitable. He acknowledged that any rule change might bring unintended consequences, but doing nothing is no longer an option.

Dean then dropped the big news that a meeting is scheduled specifically to discuss the Aspinall-Gane incident and potential solutions.

“There’s going to be a meeting where we kind of go over that a little bit. But yeah, there’s definitely something that’s going to happen.”

🚨 Herb Dean says a meeting will be held on November 4th to address eye pokes, and says there will 'definitely' be something done about them 👀

"Enough people are fed up with the eye poke situation that something is going to be done… There's gonna be a meeting where we go over… pic.twitter.com/i59kzBa5IV
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 1, 2025

That’s as direct as it gets from someone in Dean’s position. He’s not speaking hypothetically or suggesting maybe something might possibly happen eventually. He’s stating clearly that changes are coming. The meeting will examine what went wrong at UFC 321 and how the sport can prevent similar situations in the future.

The combat sports community seems united in wanting change. Eye pokes have derailed too many fights and damaged too many careers. If Herb Dean’s meeting leads to real reform, it would be one positive outcome from an otherwise frustrating situation. Only time will tell what specific changes get implemented, but at least the conversation is finally happening at an official level.

(Image Credit: Jasmin Frank – Imagn Images)

Herb Dean

UFC 321 Aspinall vs Gane

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!