Tom Aspinall Stands His Ground: A Fighter's Perspective

Tom Aspinall, the UFC heavyweight champion, has been through a tough time recently. His title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 didn't go as planned. In the first round, Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in the eye, leaving him unable to see clearly. Aspinall chose not to continue the fight, which upset many fans and even UFC CEO Dana White. Aspinall has been dealing with the aftermath, including multiple medical tests and consultations with specialists. He's not happy about the situation, but he's not backing down. In response to White's criticism, Aspinall made it clear that he's not reckless. He refused to continue fighting when he couldn't see, especially against one of the best strikers in the world. Aspinall also addressed fans who thought he was losing the fight. He felt he was handling Gane well and expected a long, tough fight. He acknowledged Gane's strong defense and movement, but he was confident in his strategy. However, Aspinall is most upset with Gane. After reviewing the fight, he believes Gane was intentionally trying to poke his eyes throughout the round. This cheating compromised Aspinall's vision, causing him to have double vision even now. As a result, he can't train and doesn't know when he'll be able to rematch Gane. Aspinall is determined to beat Gane, but he's also being cautious. He won't fight until his vision is fully recovered. He's a fighter, but he's not a dummy. He knows when to fight and when to protect his health.