Francis Ngannou has stepped in as the voice of reason. The calm after the chaos comes on the heels of UFC 321’s abrupt and unsatisfying ending. Fans waited weeks for the showdown, only to get 4:35 of action before Ciryl Gane accidentally poked Tom Aspinall in the eye, bringing the highly anticipated fight to a screeching halt. You’d think the Frenchman would be the one getting roasted like a grilled sausage—but reality had a different twist.

Instead, most of the outrage was directed at Aspinall himself. Comments like, ‘He was losing, so he gave up. He didn’t want to continue dominating social media, painting an odd picture of blame. UFC CEO Dana White added fuel to the fire with his own reaction. “I can’t make people fight,” he said. While White struggled to hide his frustration, funnily enough, the man he perhaps dislikes the most offered a far more composed take.

It’s the circumstances, says Francis Ngannou

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Ngannou branded the fight “frustrating,” highlighting the wider reaction from fans. However, he didn’t blame what he saw as an “accident” on either fighter. However, he feels Tom Aspinall made the right call by not continuing. “He took the right decision,” Ngannou told Helwani. “When you’re fighting an elite striker like Ciryl Gane, you better be seeing what is in front of you, [especially] if your vision is compromised.”

When Helwani highlighted that Aspinall came out and said Gane repeatedly tried to poke him in the eye throughout the first round, Ngannou took a diplomatic approach. “I would not say a [Gane is a] dirty fighter,” Ngannou added. “Usually in MMA with the small gloves, where people [who] have the habit [of extending] their hand, they are most likely to poke somebody in the eye. It’s not intentional. It’s just how it is,” Ngannou said. 

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Reflecting on Aspinall’s outburst at Gane, the Cameroonian suggested the Brit said those things out of “frustration,” so that they can’t be taken seriously. Finally, he was pressed about the outcome of a rematch between the two. “Anybody can win that fight,” Ngannou told Helwani during the interview. “So, it’s just [whoever] you pick, even though I would give it a slight advantage on the Ciryl Gane side, but anybody can win.”

While the UFC has made it clear that Aspinall and Ciryl Gane will have a rematch, a timeline has yet to be set for it. Aspinall, who has since revealed that the extent of his eye injury is severe, will need time to recover, so the rematch might not happen anytime soon. In the meantime, though, Dana White appears to have gone into damage control mode regarding his dismissive statement about Tom Aspinall after UFC 321. 

Dana White meant no disrespect toward Tom Aspinall

Dana White has made it clear that he never intended to disrespect Tom Aspinall after the controversy surrounding the premature ending of UFC 321. According to White, the reaction came from a misunderstanding rather than any real criticism. “I get it,” White said, admitting he didn’t remember his exact phrasing. 

“What did I say? I think his eyes are OK?… I’m no doctor. I’m just saying what I’ve heard. It wasn’t said in a way [to be detrimental], ‘I said I think he’s fine.’ It wasn’t like that.” White stressed that he simply believed Aspinall would recover with time. “I said I think Tom’s eyes are good, he’s going to take some time, heal, and come back. That’s all I said.” 

He doubled down that none of his comments were meant to insult Aspinall. “Never once did I say anything negative about him or in a derogatory way,” he added. Ultimately, White recognizes Aspinall’s frustration but remains confident. “He’ll get better, and we’ll get him back in there.”

Looks like Dana White may need Francis Ngannou’s PR team for this one. But in all seriousness, Ciryl Gane may not have intended to poke Tom Aspinall in the eye, as Francis Ngannou said. And wouldn’t it be more productive to advocate for a rule change or modification in the gloves rather than blaming one person for it?