Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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“Way Scarier Than What I Did To My Knee” – Tom Aspinall Breaks Silence After UFC 321 No Contest Against Ciryl Gane

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Career threatening injuries haunt every fighter’s nightmares throughout their professional careers constantly in combat sports. Tom Aspinall knows that fear better than most UFC heavyweights competing today at the highest level. He suffered a devastating knee injury against Curtis Blaydes in 2022 that required year-long recovery and rehabilitation. The injury resulted in his first professional loss and raised serious questions about his future altogether.

UFC 321 was supposed to mark his triumphant return after months away from competition against top contender. But Ciryl Gane accidentally poked Aspinall’s eye at 4:35 of round one, ending everything prematurely. And Aspinall was immediately taken to the hospital for medical evaluation of the eye injury sustained.

Tom Aspinall Makes Frightening Hospital Admission

Tom Aspinall shared a video from the hospital shortly after UFC 321 concluded in Abu Dhabi. The heavyweight champion looked visibly shaken while discussing what happened during the fight with Gane.

“It’s a very dangerous sport. [The eye poke] Way scarier than what I did to my knee… It feels like someone touched the back of my eyeball.”

That statement carries enormous weight considering his 2022 knee injury. Aspinall tore multiple ligaments when his leg buckled awkwardly against Curtis Blaydes during their heavyweight clash. The injury was gruesome to watch and appeared potentially career-ending at the time it occurred.

Aspinall spent an entire year recovering and rehabilitating that knee before returning to competition successfully. He had to rebuild strength, confidence, and trust in his body after such a traumatic experience. The mental recovery from career-threatening injuries often takes longer than the physical healing process. Yet Aspinall says the eye poke felt even scarier than that devastating knee injury somehow. His comparison highlights how vulnerable fighters feel when vision gets compromised during active competition.

Initial Medical Evaluation Brings Positive News

Tom Aspinall underwent immediate medical evaluation at the hospital in Abu Dhabi following the UFC 321 no contest ruling. The initial examination brought somewhat reassuring news for the heavyweight champion and his concerned fans. Doctors determined that Aspinall did not sustain any dangerous eye damage during the accidental poke.

That preliminary assessment suggests he avoided the worst-case scenarios that could have threatened his career. Serious eye injuries can cause permanent vision damage or even blindness in extreme cases unfortunately.

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However, Aspinall isn’t out of the woods completely just yet regarding his eye health moving forward. He will undergo further comprehensive testing once he returns to the United Kingdom for detailed examination. Those additional tests will determine the full extent of any damage and establish a proper recovery timeline. Eye injuries require careful monitoring because complications can develop days or weeks after the initial trauma. Aspinall needs clearance from multiple specialists before he can even think about training again seriously.

Dana White already confirmed that a rematch with Ciryl Gane will happen once Aspinall fully recovers. The timeline for that rematch depends entirely on how quickly and completely his eye heals. Early 2026 seems like the most realistic target for running back this heavyweight title fight. Aspinall must focus on recovery rather than rushing back to prove anything to critics questioning his heart.

(Image Credit: Wendell Cruz – Imagn Images)

Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall

UFC 321

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!