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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“Not A Dummy” – Tom Aspinall Breaks The Silence; Not Happy With Dana White’s UFC 321 Post-Fight Comments

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

Eye pokes remain one of the most dangerous and controversial fouls in MMA. They can cause immediate blindness, long-term damage, and completely ruin fights that fans waited months to see. The aftermath often brings debates about whether fighters could have continued or chose the easy way out. And Tom Aspinall is fighting those allegations since UFC 321.

Aspinall and Ciryl Gane were supposed to deliver a heavyweight striking masterclass at UFC 321 in October. Instead, the fight ended in a no-contest after Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes late in the first round. The British champion couldn’t continue, leaving fans disappointed and questions swirling. Now Aspinall has broken the silence and clearly, he is not happy with Dana White’s UFC 321 post-fight comments that implied he didn’t want to continue fighting after the illegal foul.

Tom Aspinall Defends His Decision

Aspinall addressed fan questions and White’s comments on his YouTube channel, getting remarkably direct about why he couldn’t continue. He explained that he’s not a fool and wasn’t going to fight one of the best strikers (13-2-1NC) in the world with double vision. That’s a perfectly reasonable answer in itself.

“Well, listen, I didn’t continue. I’ll tell you why I didn’t continue. Because I’m not a dummy. Like I’m not going to go out there and fight one of the best strikers in the world if I can’t see with double vision…. If you get double eye poked in both eyes and you’ve got no vision because of a foul, why should I carry on?”

Tom Aspinall wasn't a fan of Dana White's comments after his fight against Ciryl Gane 😬

"I'll tell you why I didn't continue. Because I'm not a f***ing dummy."

(via @AspinallMMA) pic.twitter.com/9pV7TCaTvW
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 30, 2025

The heavyweight champion pulled receipts to prove he’s fought through compromised vision before when necessary. He referenced his bout against Andrei Arlovski, where he pushed forward despite being unable to see out of one eye. That history shows Aspinall isn’t someone who quits easily or looks for excuses to avoid competition. He’s demonstrated toughness throughout his career, making White’s implications particularly frustrating for him.

Aspinall also recently released medical documentation showing significant trauma to both eyes and symptoms consistent with a tendon-related movement issue. Specialists are still evaluating the injury and placed him under strict orders to avoid training until the inflammation settles and his eye mobility improves. That’s serious medical advice from professionals, not a fighter making excuses.

When asked about his timeline for returning to action, Aspinall admitted he has absolutely no idea. He’s obviously very keen to get back and beat Gane in the rematch, but he needs to be one hundred percent right physically. Whenever his eyes are good to go, that’s when he will do it.

(Image Credit: Wendell Cruz – Imagn Images)

Ciryl Gane

Dana White

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!