Over the years, the UFC has evolved through numerous rule changes prompted by incidents inside the Octagon. From introducing weight classes to doing away with the traditional gi, every single new rule adopted has made the sport slightly more safer. And now it might be time for another one. The UFC 321 main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane may be remembered for that very reason. During the opening round, Gane accidentally poked both of Aspinall’s eyes at once—an unusual and unfortunate incident that led to the bout being ruled a no-contest last month.

While many fans believe Aspinall was genuinely hurt, others have questioned whether the British heavyweight may have exaggerated the severity of the poke, especially since Gane appeared to be gaining momentum early on. Now, just a week after the controversial ending to the headliner, veteran referee Herb Dean has revealed in an interview with Helen Yee that a meeting is scheduled soon to discuss the incident, one that could lead to a significant rule change in the UFC and MMA as a whole.

Herb Dean points out the issues with not having a system for eye-pokes

Speaking to Dean, Yee brought up the Aspinall vs. Gane incident and asked what could be done to mitigate eye pokes. “Well, first of all, I think enough people are fed up with the eye poke situation that something is going to be done,” the veteran official told the reporter. He noted that while a rule change might have some unintended consequences, “we have to try something. And so, I think that people are ready to move on.” The referee emphasized that the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane incident has ignited serious discussions within the sport.

“There’s going to be a meeting where we kind of go over that a little bit. But yeah, there’s definitely something that’s going to happen,” he confirmed. “The thing with the eye pokes is difficult because they are happening in real time and you have to call it.”

However, according to the veteran referee, the problem comes in the call because if a fighter is exaggerating the discomfort and the referee decides to call it an eye-poke and give the fighter a break, there is a real chance that the official would be robbing the other guy of a well-deserved win. The same is the case vice versa. “So, we’re gonna talk about a bunch of different scenarios. I don’t know what’s gonna happen with it, but it’s gonna be discussed next week,” the 55-year-old explained during the interview.

When asked when the meeting is next week, the former MMA fighter replied, “Early next week. I think there’s a conversation happening on the 4th(of November), Tuesday.” 

However, it’s not just Dean who has hinted that rule changes could be on the horizon.

Henry Cejudo claims a rule change is coming after Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane

Former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo believes a rule change is on the way after the controversial ending to Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title fight with Ciryl Gane. Cejudo insists the incident will spark reform. “The athletic commissions need to step up and change the rule,” said Cejudo. “First poke, automatic point deduction. Second time, disqualification.” He also suggested that discussions are already happening behind the scenes, saying, “I’ve been hearing it’s coming soon. They can’t keep letting fights end like this.”

The incident has forced people to start talking about the design of the UFC gloves, which has long been criticized for encouraging an open-palm posture. This, of course, results in heightened chances of accidental eye poke. Cejudo believes stricter penalties and improved glove design will prevent similar outcomes, adding, “They need to redesign the gloves and make sure guys are keeping their hands closed when they strike.”

“It’s not just about the rules—it’s about enforcing them properly.” Although it’s worth noting that the UFC nor the state athletic commission has yet announced any official changes to the set of rules quite yet. But the chatter surrounding changing rules have undeniably amplified since the incident at UFC 321.

Having said that, only time will tell what the new rule change will be, that is if they happen. But from the looks of things, the combat seen is all for it. What do you think should be done?