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“Only Tom knows what happened. You know, could he see, couldn’t he see, could he continue? Only he knows that,” said a frustrated Dana White at the UFC 321 post-fight press conference. White was asked if Tom Aspinall was truly unable to see after the double eye poke from Ciryl Gane that ended their fight in a no contest. The incident reignited talk of tension between the UFC’s first British heavyweight champion and the promotion. Fans and analysts called for Gane’s disqualification, pointing out that referees warn fighters about eye pokes before every bout. Still, despite Gane’s clear infraction, the referee ruled it “unintentional” — drawing backlash from fans and media, including Ariel Helwani, who accused Dana White & Co. of snubbing Aspinall. With questions now mounting about Aspinall’s standing with the UFC, fellow Brit and former champion has now placed the blame on Aspinall’s father, Andy Aspinall, for his son’s fallout with Dana White and the UFC. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Michael Bisping points to Andy Aspinall for Tom’s UFC fallout Tensions between Tom Aspinall and the UFC appears to have been brewing for months, sparked by public criticism from his father and coach, Andy Aspinall. Andy had openly accused the promotion of failing to treat his son fairly, voicing his frustrations across multiple platforms. The situation escalated when, in a later interview, he suggested that Tom might leave the UFC once his current contract expires — even hinting at a possible move to boxing in pursuit of “more money.” According to former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, those comments may have significantly strained the promotion’s relationship with Tom Aspinall. Speaking alongside fellow UFC veteran Paul Felder on their Believe You Me podcast, Bisping addressed Andy directly: “You know, he didn’t need to release that, you know. So he kind of dropped the ball a little bit there and then his dad was talking about the boxing thing after this contract we leaving and I was like, ‘What are you doing? You don’t negotiate like that in public. You speak to the men, to men, man to man.'” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Bisping went on to emphasize that if Tom Aspinall’s most recent fight had ended in defeat rather than a no contest, it could have jeopardized his chances of earning another title shot. He later clarified that his remarks were personal opinions and not a reflection of the UFC’s stance, saying, “I’m not speaking for the UFC. That’s just me sitting here just going for planning.” Still, Bisping’s comments echo a wider perception that Andy Aspinall’s public remarks might make the UFC more cautious about fully backing the Brit in future opportunities. Still, Andy’s concerns for his son’s future and financial security are, to some extent, understandable. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Michael Bisping backs Tom Aspinall’s stance despite fallout with UFC Few people in the sport understand the dangers of an eye injury better than Michael Bisping. The former UFC middleweight champion permanently lost vision in one eye after a similar incident in 2013. Despite the diagnosis, Bisping continued to compete for years, later admitting that fighting with such a condition was one of the riskiest decisions of his career. With that experience in mind, ‘The Count’ empathized with Tom Aspinall’s choice to stop fighting after the double eye poke against Ciryl Gane. While some fans criticized Aspinall for not continuing, others praised him for prioritizing his long-term health. Addressing the debate, Bisping defended the heavyweight champion, saying, “‘Tom is the champion of the world and he doesn’t want to go out there when his vision is impaired or massively affected and potentially lose a fight that was shaping up to be a difficult fight. Ciryl Gane was on point. You saw the damage on Tom’s face. This was not an easy fight by any stretch of the imagination. He didn’t want to continue with his vision damaged or not being able to see. I don’t blame him.’” Despite Bisping’s defense, Aspinall has become a target of criticism and mockery across social media, with fans divided over his decision. Do you think he should have continued after the eye poke, or was stepping back the right call? Share your thoughts below.
