Tom Aspinall’s father and coach, Andy, has disclosed that his son is still experiencing vision impairment in his right eye after sustaining a severe injury over the past weekend.
The current heavyweight champion was prepared to defend his title at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane. Gane initiated the first round strongly, landing effective jabs and maintaining a defensive stance.
However, towards the end of the round, Gane unintentionally poked Aspinall in both eyes, prompting a temporary stoppage in the fight. Referee Jason Herzog granted Aspinall a five-minute break, but concerns arose when Aspinall reported vision problems to the ringside doctor and referee. Consequently, the match was called off and declared a no contest.
Following the incident, Aspinall was swiftly taken to the hospital for further evaluation. After undergoing assessments in Abu Dhabi, Aspinall returned to the UK for additional medical examinations. Recently, Aspinall Sr provided an update on his son’s condition.
In a recent video on Aspinall’s YouTube channel, he revealed that his son’s right eye remains completely blind, with his left eye experiencing a 50% reduction in vision. Further tests, including a CT scan, are scheduled to assess the extent of the injury.
After the fight, members of Aspinall’s team expressed astonishment at the leniency shown to Gane for the eye poke incident. Video footage revealed Aspinall’s frustration at the situation.
The upcoming UFC event features a bout between Steve Garcia and David Onama in Las Vegas on Saturday, 1 November. The preliminaries are set to begin at 8pm UK time, with the main card starting at 11pm UK time.
In the headline fight, Onama is expected to enter the cage around 2am UK time on Sunday. UK viewers can watch the live action on TNT Sports.
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