Tom Aspinall’s debut as heavyweight champion turned controversial when his fight against Ciryl Gane was declared a no contest due to an eye poke incident. Aspinall, a top British star, had a challenging year and was seeking redemption after a quick victory over Curtis Blaydes in July 2024.
Following Jon Jones’ retirement announcement in June, Aspinall was promoted to undisputed champion and faced Gane in what was anticipated to be a tough matchup. Unfortunately, the fight was halted in the first round due to an unintentional eye poke on Aspinall, resulting in the bout ending with no winner.
The incident led to Aspinall being taken to the hospital for further evaluation. UFC President Dana White expressed his desire to reschedule the heavyweight clash for the future. In another exciting match, Mackenzie Dern became the new women’s strawweight champion after defeating Virna Jandiroba in a bloody battle.
Additionally, Umar Nurmagomedov secured a victory against Mario Bautista, while Alexander Volkov triumphed over Jailton Almeida. The main card also featured a thrilling light-heavyweight bout between Aleksandar Rakic and Azamat Murzakanov, with Murzakanov claiming a dominant first-round knockout win.
