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Tom Aspinall underwent three eye surgeries following his no-contest with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October and described the procedures as more painful than anything he has endured in the operating room.
The UFC heavyweight champion told Great Company With Jamie Lang that he had one surgery on his left eye and two on his right after the bout was waved off when Gane landed multiple eye pokes. He compared the experience to his vasectomy and said there was no contest. "Mate, compared to eye surgery, it is nothing," Aspinall said, per MMA Fighting. He said doctors kept him awake and held his eyeball open with instruments while cutting into the eye, which he called "horrendous."
Aspinall addresses fan backlash over injury stoppage
The British fighter admitted he was scared during the first two weeks after the Gane fight and worried about his vision. He also addressed the fan criticism that came his way, with some accusing him of quitting. Aspinall acknowledged the harsh reality of being a fighter in the public eye and said he still sees comments accusing him of ducking the bout. He pointed out that most critics have never competed themselves and do not understand what professional mixed martial artists go through. "If you're going to sit behind your phone and comment on the toughness of a professional MMA fighter, then you don't really know what you're talking about," he said.
Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title by stopping Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds at UFC 295 in November 2023 and defended it against Curtis Blaydes in a minute at UFC 304. He was promoted to undisputed champion after Jon Jones announced his retirement last year. Gane now holds the interim belt after finishing Alex Pereira at UFC White House.
Reported via:
- MMA Fighting — Tom Aspinall reflects on fan backlash to eye poke injuries, says eye surgery worse than vasectomy
