Tom Aspinall’s first UFC heavyweight title defense ended in dramatic fashion at UFC 321, prompting notable reactions from former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.
Aspinall faced Ciryl Gane in the highly anticipated main event. From the opening bell, both fighters came out strong, exchanging powerful strikes in an intense battle. However, the momentum shifted just moments before the end of the first round when an accidental eye poke from Gane halted the action.
Following the incident, Aspinall returned to his corner, where a doctor promptly examined his eye. After several tense minutes of evaluation, the British fighter revealed he was having difficulty seeing clearly. As a result, the referee had no choice but to stop the fight and declare it a no-contest.
Watching the fight live, Belal Muhammad expressed his displeasure with how the situation unfolded. On X, he shared his empathy and frustration, writing, “Ugh I been there its the worst feeling ever.” In a subsequent post, Muhammad suggested a way to address such incidents, stating, “If they want to get rid of eye pokes, they need to take a point away instantly.”
**Belal Muhammad’s posts:**
_”Ugh I been there its the worst feeling ever.”_
_”If they want to get rid of eye pokes, they need to take a point away instantly.”_
Tom Aspinall had been promoted to UFC heavyweight champion earlier this year after Jon Jones announced his retirement. UFC 321 marked Aspinall’s return to the octagon following an over year-long hiatus. His previous fight was at UFC 304 against Curtis Blaydes, where he successfully defended his interim heavyweight championship.
On the other hand, Ciryl Gane was aiming for his third opportunity to claim the UFC heavyweight title. Prior to facing Aspinall, Gane had challenged Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones but was unsuccessful in both attempts. Despite those setbacks, the French fighter entered the bout confident in his ability to seize his third shot at the championship.
After the official results were announced, Ciryl Gane publicly apologized for the accidental eye poke during the fight. Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall appeared visibly disappointed with how his first title defense had ended.
The dramatic finish at UFC 321 leaves fans eager for a rematch and further developments in the heavyweight division.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-former-ufc-champion-provides-solution-eye-pokes-tom-aspinall-vs-ciryl-gane-ends-contest