Tom Aspinall isn’t letting a painful setback take away his sense of humor.
Days after his UFC 321 main event against Ciryl Gane ended due to an accidental eye poke, the reigning heavyweight champion decided to take a lighthearted approach.
The highly anticipated title bout in Abu Dhabi ended early in the first round after Gane’s fingers caught Aspinall in the eye. The British fighter told the referee, “I can’t see,” forcing officials to stop the contest. The outcome was declared a no contest, leaving fans frustrated and both fighters unsure of what comes next.
While critics online debated the stoppage and some accused Aspinall of exaggerating the injury, the champion found a way to respond without saying a word — through humor.
Halloween Shade Aimed at Ciryl Gane
On Instagram, Aspinall shared a photo of himself wearing an eye patch, joking that he was “ready for Halloween.” Moments later, he followed with another post showing Gane’s face edited onto Freddy Krueger, the horror legend known for wearing a glove lined with blades.
The caption read, “Halloween is coming, Ciryl Gane is ready,” with Aspinall adding the cheeky comment, “Man’s BEEN ready.”
The playful jab referenced the eye poke incident that abruptly ended their title fight.
The British champion has kept fans updated as he continues to undergo medical checks in the United Kingdom. His father recently confirmed that Aspinall is still experiencing vision issues and has needed multiple follow-up appointments with eye specialists.
Tom Aspinall shared his and Ciryl Gane’s Halloween costumes this year 😭💀 pic.twitter.com/1E7l8659Tv
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 31, 2025
Ongoing Debate Around Eye Pokes in MMA
The unfortunate ending to UFC 321 has reignited discussions across the sport about glove design and eye safety. Former champion Michael Bisping, who lost vision in one eye during his own career, spoke out about stricter enforcement and potential glove redesigns to help prevent such incidents.
Fighters and fans alike have voiced frustration that bouts of this magnitude can end so abruptly due to eye injuries. Many have called for the Worldwide Athletic Commission and the UFC to prioritize solutions before another high-profile fight suffers a similar fate.
Jon Jones Joins in on the Trolling
While Aspinall has been taking the high road with humor, former champion Jon Jones has been having his own fun online.
After the fight, Jones changed his profile picture to a duck wearing an eye patch — a playful nod to accusations that he had “ducked” Aspinall in the past.
He later appeared at the Dirty Boxing 4 weigh-ins on horseback, with his horse also sporting an eye patch. The display was widely seen as Jones’ way of adding fuel to the fire surrounding the UFC 321 controversy.
UFC CEO Dana White has acknowledged fan demand for a second meeting between the two heavyweights. Once Aspinall receives medical clearance, a rematch with Ciryl Gane could be back on the table.
While there’s no official date or venue yet, both fighters have expressed interest in settling things properly this time — without any accidental fouls cutting the action short.
For now, Aspinall remains focused on recovery, but his recent Halloween humor shows that even amid uncertainty, he’s keeping his spirits up — and his wit as sharp as ever.
