Tom Aspinall’s UFC 321 eye-poke controversy deepens as Aljamain Sterling doubles down on his bold remarks

On 25 October 2025, during UFC 321 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, England’s heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall faced off against France’s former interim champion Ciryl Gane. Midway through the first round, Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in the eyes and the fight was declared a no-contest.

Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has since weighed in, insisting Tom Aspinall should have handled the situation differently and he’s stood firm despite a backlash.

Aljamain Sterling on Tom Aspinall’s reaction in the cage

Aljamain Sterling’s view is clear: when Tom Aspinall said “I cannot see” after the eye poke, that wording alone pressured the referee to stop the fight. On his YouTube channel, Sterling said, “When Tommy got poked in the eye, the first thing he said was, ‘I cannot see.’ … You can’t say those words; otherwise, the referee is inclined to stop the fight.”Sterling added he isn’t questioning Aspinall’s integrity. He said, “I never questioned Tommy’s integrity.” Yet he felt Aspinall should have asked for the full five-minute recovery window instead of immediately signalling he couldn’t continue.

Fans were quick to respond on social media after Sterling’s comments went public. Some felt Sterling was unfair, given Sterling himself once won his title via disqualification when he was fouled at UFC 259.

Sterling referred to that: “I got illegally kneed, blasted in the head … I know if I said that I’m done the fight is over.”

Inside the UFC 321 eye-poke incident between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane

Tom Aspinall made his first defence of the undisputed heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. The fight came to a halt at about the 4:35 mark of round one when Gane’s fingers struck both of Aspinall’s eyes as he attempted to block a kick. The injury forced the referee to end the bout as a no-contest. Medical checks after the fight raised concern, as Aspinall was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Despite panic among fans, his doctor later said there was nothing “dangerous” about the eye injury. Meanwhile, commentator and ex-fighter Brendan Schaub defended Aspinall against critics who claimed he quit too early. Also Read: Tom Aspinall’s UFC 321 Eye-Poke Controversy Sparks Sean O’Malley’s Bold Claim About Missed Jon Jones White House ClashSchaub said, “The whole narrative on oh Tom wanted out, he was losing the fight, he found a way out… You’re talking about the guy that fought Sergei Pavlovich… You’re telling me that guy was looking for a way out?”So Sterling’s comments arrive amid a larger debate: Was Aspinall’s reaction valid? Did he prematurely stop? Or did he act within his right after a serious foul? Sterling says his opinion stands, and he told critics: “Don’t be mad at me.”Aljamain Sterling still thinks Tom Aspinall could have handled the eye-poke situation at UFC 321 differently, even while recognising the injury and refusing to question his integrity.