Tom Aspinall’s father and coach, Andy, has disclosed that his son continues to experience vision impairment in his right eye following a severe injury he sustained recently.
The reigning heavyweight champion was preparing to defend his title at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane. Gane started the fight strongly in the first round, landing precise jabs and showcasing effective defensive tactics.
However, towards the end of the round, Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes, leading to a temporary stoppage in the fight. Despite being given five minutes to recover, Aspinall raised concerns about his impaired vision to the ringside doctor and referee. Subsequently, the bout was called off and declared a no contest.
Immediately after the incident, Aspinall was swiftly taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Reports from All Out Fighting indicate that after undergoing assessments in Abu Dhabi, Aspinall returned to the UK for additional medical tests. Following UFC 321, Aspinall’s father shared an update on his son’s condition.
In a recent video on Aspinall’s YouTube channel, he revealed that despite medical consultations, his right eye remains completely blind, with significant vision loss in the left eye as well. Additional tests, including a CT scan, are scheduled to ensure no underlying bone damage.
Following the fight, members of Aspinall’s team expressed astonishment over the leniency shown towards Gane for the eye-poking incident. Video footage later revealed Aspinall’s frustration at the situation, questioning the referee’s handling of the matter.
The upcoming UFC event is scheduled to feature Steve Garcia against David Onama in Las Vegas on Saturday, November 1st. The preliminaries will commence at 8 pm UK time, with the main card starting at 11 pm UK time. Fans in the United Kingdom can catch the live action on TNT Sports.
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