Aspinall-Gane UFC 321 title fight ruled no contest after eye poke

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Tom Aspinall retains heavyweight rubric aft Ciryl Ganes accidently pokes him successful some eyes astatine UFC 321 successful Abu Dhabi.

Published On 26 Oct 2025

Champion Tom Aspinall and top-ranked Ciryl Gane could not marque it done the opening circular of their heavyweight main lawsuit astatine UFC 321 wrong Etihad Arena earlier the lucifer was ruled a no-contest.

Aspinall (15-3-0) and Gane (13-2-0) some came retired with a batch of vigor until an accidental treble oculus poke prompted an authoritative timeout astatine the 4:35 people of the archetypal round.

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Aspinall (15-3-0) could not spot retired of his close oculus during the allotted five-minute break, and astatine 4:09 into the stoppage, the lucifer was ruled a no-contest.

It was Aspinall’s archetypal defence arsenic the undisputed heavyweight champion.

“What americium I expected to bash astir it? I can’t see,” said a disappointed Aspinall, speaking successful the ringing successful effect to the chorus of boos passim the arena. “This is [expletive]. The combat was conscionable getting going.”

Gane dropped to his knees, besides disappointed, arsenic the ringing announcer made the authoritative announcement.

“I’m feeling sorry,” Gane said. “I’m precise atrocious astir that.”

Aspinall was disconnected to a accelerated start, arsenic the champion wasted nary clip successful throwing dense shots astatine Gane.

Known for his elusive footwork, Gane showed nary intimidation and stood toe-to-toe portion taking bid successful the centre of the cage.

Gane utilized a crisp jab to bloody the champ. And erstwhile Aspinall took his changeable for a takedown, Gane successfully defended it midway done the round. When Aspinall tried to chopped disconnected the cage, Gane did a bully occupation of circling retired of it portion landing jabs and debased kicks.

Inside the last infinitesimal of the round, Gane continued to out-strike Aspinall until his poke to the eye.

Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane successful action.

Dern downs Jandiroba

In an aggravated co-main lawsuit successful which some women near the cage with battered close eyes, fifth-ranked contender Mackenzie Dern (16-5-0) won the vacant strawweight loop implicit top-ranked Virna Jandiroba (22-4-0) with a unanimous decision.

Though some fighters had awesome moments wrong immoderate tightly contested rounds, Dern’s near manus was overmuch much effectual and damaging.

Upon proceeding the ringing announcer denote her sanction arsenic the caller champ and having the loop wrapped astir her waist, the 32-year-old Brazilian fell to her knees successful tears.

“It feels amazing,” Dern said. “I request to spot Moa. This is for Moa.”

Dern was past joined successful the cage by her six-year-old daughter, Moa, who draped the UFC loop implicit her shoulder.

In earlier bouts, No 2 Umar Nurmagomedov (19-1-0) earned a unanimous determination implicit No 8 Mario Bautista (16-3-0) successful a conflict of top-ranked bantamweights.

Second-ranked heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov (39-11-0) won by divided determination implicit No 5 Jailton Almeida (22-4-0)

In the airy heavyweight division, 10th-ranked Azamat Murzakanov (16-0-0) made speedy enactment of No 7 Aleksandar Rakic (14-6-0).

Murzakanov’s first-round stoppage extended the second-longest progressive UFC triumph streak successful the part to six consecutive wins.