UFC star defends Tom Aspinall after 'withdrawal' against Ciryl Gane: 'That poke was ugly'

Aspinall with an eye injury after a UFC fight. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

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Sean Brady came to Tom Aspinall 's defense after the outcome of UFC 321, held last Saturday (25). The Briton faced Ciryl Gane in the main event and, still in the first round, suffered an eye poke that forced him to give up the fight, an action that generated criticism from fans, but which was totally understandable for Brady.

During an appearance on the 'SteadyPicks' podcast, Sean Brady emphasized how serious the illegal blow was and highlighted that the champion wanted to continue the fight, but was unable to do so.

“That poke in the eye was really nasty. I was bummed after that. It’s like, if we all get punched in the groin, everyone’s gonna have a different reaction. Cyril’s finger went into Tom’s skull, and that’s bullshit. Like, do you think Tom Aspinall didn’t want to keep fighting? Do you think he didn’t want to fight that son of a bitch?”, said Sean Brady.

Tom Aspinall is fingerprinted by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321

Gane attacks Aspinall at the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

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At the start of the fight, Gane bounced on his toes, avoiding the British fighter's reach. Aspinall, in turn, used feints to get closer and land a decisive blow. In an attempt to close in on the champion, Gane landed a straight right hand that gave Aspinall a nosebleed.

In the final stretch of the round, the Frenchman used his speed to land jabs and move away before the Brit could respond. However, during one of these exchanges, Gane poked Aspinall in the eye. The referee immediately stopped the fight, and after a doctor's evaluation, the fight was officially declared a no-contest.

With this, Tom Aspinall retained the undisputed heavyweight title (up to 120,2 kg), even without having won a title fight in his career. Ciryl Gane , in turn, once again fell short in his third attempt to take center stage in the division.

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