UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall finds himself at the center of the MMA spotlight after a shocking turn of events at UFC 321. Last week, what was meant to be his first title defense ended in disaster when the Briton suffered a double eye poke from his French rival, Ciryl Gane. He told cageside doctors, “I can’t see,” while clutching a cloth to his injured eye.

With the champion unable to continue, the referee ruled the fight a no-contest, shocking the 13,220 fans inside Etihad Arena. Tom Aspinall, who had prepared for his first title defense for months after sitting out for nearly 450 days, felt frustrated and disappointed. In the aftermath, several UFC stars voiced their concern for the British heavyweight’s recovery, while fans eagerly awaited word on his condition. Now, just hours later, doctors have broken their silence.

What did the doctor say about Tom Aspinall’s eye injury?

Amid the chaos, Aspinall’s father, Andy Aspinall, stood out with his heartfelt concern for his son’s well-being. Reflecting on the seriousness of such injuries, he referenced fellow Englishman Michael Bisping — who famously lost vision in one eye years ago. Speaking about the “horrendous” incident in backstage footage released by his son, Andy said, “Mike Bisping, he lost his eye,” Andy Aspinall said. “Just horrendous thing to think as a parent really.” After the incident, Tom went straight to the hospital for evaluation.

He later shared an update through a vlog that has already surpassed 700,000 views, offering fans a direct glimpse into his recovery. In the video, doctors provided a reassuring update, stating, “We didn’t find anything dangerous.” The update brought relief across the MMA community, especially since a similar incident in 2019 left Jeremy Stephens sidelined for 180 days after a comparable eye injury. Thankfully for Tom Aspinall, the tests confirmed that his condition is clear and his recovery is on track.

More about Tom Aspinall’s recovery from UFC 321 eye poke

Tom Aspinall has dealt with injuries throughout his career, but none were as shocking as the “freak” incident against Curtis Blaydes at UFC London in 2022. Just 15 seconds into the bout, the Briton collapsed to the canvas after throwing a leg kick, clutching his knee in agony. The aftermath revealed severe damage — torn MCL, ACL, and meniscus. Yet, despite that devastating setback, the Briton described his recent eye-poke injury as “way scarier,” calling it more serious than the knee injury.

In his vlog, Tom Aspinall acknowledged that MMA is a “dangerous sport” where injuries are an unavoidable part of the game. Though his knee has fully healed, he admitted uncertainty about his latest injury, saying, “I still don’t know how this is going to be.”

Determined to recover fully, Aspinall emphasized that he’s taking every precaution to ensure proper healing. After undergoing an initial checkup in Abu Dhabi, he shared that further testing awaits him back home, stating, “We’re just waiting for further results. We’ve got to do more tests in the UK. Flying back today, and we’ll go from there. I’m not sure when I’ll be ready to let everyone know what’s going on.”

Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane rematch expected timeline

Dana White has made it clear that Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane will meet again. However, the timeline for the rematch is still up in the air. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto and other analysts have suggested scheduling the fight for UFC 323 in December, which would serve as the promotion’s final pay-per-view with ESPN before their partnership ends. Even so, doctors in London will be the ones to re-evaluate the Brit’s condition in the coming weeks.

Medical experts in Abu Dhabi have already advised the heavyweight champion to undergo further testing before considering a return. As one doctor told Tom Aspinall in a video shared on his YouTube channel, “You should stop the fight until you are good again and until you are cleared from our side. Not after this visit, after the second. After making sure everything is coming back to normal with the vision.”

For now, Aspinall must receive clearance from an ophthalmologist before he can resume competition. Until then, his comeback remains uncertain. Stay tuned for further updates on Tom Aspinall’s recovery and potential return.