“I didn’t do the f**king poke” - Tom Aspinall slams booing fans amid an anticlimactic ending to UFC 321

Tom Aspinall was dissatisfied with the reaction of everyone in the venue after his fight at UFC 321. The Brit argued he couldn't do anything because he was the victim.

Aspinall made his first heavyweight title defense as an undisputed champion against No. 1-ranked contender Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 321 on Saturday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Their competitive fight took a turn at the end of the first round when Gane accidentally poked the eyes of Aspinall while throwing a punch. As a result, the Brit's vision was compromised, and he was evaluated by a cage-side doctor while taking a long rest.

Referee in charge Jason Herzog eventually declared it a no contest. While Aspinall, who was visibly in pain, was about to leave the octagon, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier asked him what he felt about the fight's outcome. The reigning champion was not pleased with the crowd's negative reaction, saying:

''Guys, I just got poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. Why are you booing? What am I supposed to do about it? I didn’t do the f**king poke. I can't see.''

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Check out Tom Aspinall's comments below (0:31):

In the post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White shared his disappointed reaction and reluctantly accepted that Aspinall will face Gane in a rematch:

''I feel the way everybody feels. Great showing, shi*ty ending. I think that after the [Jon] Jones fight, a lot of people wrote Ciryl Gane off. He looked damn good tonight. It looked like we were in for a few rounds, and it was going to be a good fight. I can’t make people fight...Total pain in the a*s but yes [we’ll book the rematch]. They’re both in shape, other than whatever’s wrong with his eye. Both guys are not injured. As soon as possible.'' [31:10 of the video]

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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