Tom Aspinall’s father and coach, Andy, has disclosed that his son remains without sight in his right eye due to a severe injury he sustained recently.
The current heavyweight champion was primed to defend his title at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane. Gane started the first round strongly, landing effective jabs and maneuvering skillfully.
However, towards the end of the round, an accidental eye poke by the challenger caused a pause in the fight. Aspinall was given a five-minute break to recover, but concerns arose when he reported impaired vision to the ringside doctor and referee. Subsequently, 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 tests in Abu Dhabi, he returned to the UK for additional examinations. Aspinall Sr has now provided an update on his son’s condition post UFC 321.
In a recent video on Aspinall’s YouTube channel, he revealed that his son’s eye specialist assessments showed concerning results, with his right eye completely impaired and his left eye experiencing significant vision issues. Further tests and a CT scan are scheduled to ensure the safety of his eye.
Several members of Aspinall’s team expressed shock at the lack of action against Gane for the eye poke incident. Video footage post the fight revealed frustrations within Aspinall’s camp about the handling of the situation.
The upcoming UFC event will feature Steve Garcia facing off against David Onama in Las Vegas on November 1. The preliminary fights are scheduled to commence at 8pm UK time, with the main card starting at 11pm UK time.
In the headline bout, Onama is expected to enter the cage around 2am UK time. UK viewers can catch the live action on TNT Sports.
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