The British star issued a passionate X-rated rant after he was booed by MMA fans in Abu Dhabi after his fight with Ciryl Gane was waved off due to an eye poke
Tom Aspinall was left enraged after he was booed by UFC fans following the controversial ending of his fight with Ciryl Gane.
The pair met in the main event at UFC 321, and after weeks of anticipation, the fight ended in unfortunate circumstances after Aspinall was poked in both eyes by Gane. The Brit was given five minutes to recover by referee Jason Herzog, but fans were left biting their nails after the heavyweight was heard telling the cage side physician: “His f***ing finger was right in my eyeball mate,” while also complaining that he couldn’t see.
After being closely examined by doctors, the fight was eventually waved off and was declared a no contest due to an “accidental foul”. Fans at the Etihad Arena made their feelings clear, reacting to the ending by booing. Needless to say, Aspinall was not chuffed at all by the reaction in Abu Dhabi.
During a post-fight interview with UFC legend Daniel Cormier, Aspinall said: “Guys I just got f***ing poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. Why are you booing? What am I supposed to do about it? I didn’t do the f***ing poke. I can’t see. This is bulls***. The fight was just getting going. Complete bulls***. I’m p***** off.”
Gane was also quick to have his say on the fight. “I’m very sorry about that, for the crowd, for the fans, for everybody. Sorry for Tom Aspinall, sorry for myself,” he said. In a separate post-fight interview, the French heavyweight fighter said: “I’m a bit disappointed with the outcome of the fight… also because of the way the fight was going, because of the future.”
‘Bon Gamin’ was arguably the fighter in control of the contest before it was eventually stopped. The 35-year-old rushed to the centre of the Octagon at the start of the fight and was quick to work behind the jab, as well as throwing several inside leg kicks to make the champion backpedal
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Gane was starting to find his groove and even stuffed a takedown attempt from the champion deep into the first round before he accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes.
Aspinall has since been transported to hospital following his heavyweight showdown with Gane in Abu Dhabi. Immediately after conclusion of UFC 321, UFC boss Dana White told reporters at the post-fight press conference that the UFC will rebook the heavyweight clash. “A total pain in the a**, but yes [I’d like to do the rematch],” he said.
In the co-main event, Mackenzie Dern realised her dream after being crowned the new undisputed women’s strawweight champion after a bloody battle with Virna Jandiroba. The pair traded leather for 25 minutes, before Dern was given the nod via unanimous decision. Elsewhere on the main card, Umar Nurmagomedov got back to winning ways after he defeated Mario Bautista, while Alexander Volkov beat Jailton Almeida via split decision. The main card was kicked off by a light-heavyweight showdown between Aleksandar Rakic and Azamat Murzakanov, and it was the latter who went on to score a destructive first round knockout victory.