Tom Aspinall has called for an immediate rematch with Ciryl Gane after their UFC heavyweight title fight ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke. The bout, which headlined UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, was stopped in the first round after Gane poked Aspinall in both eyes simultaneously, leaving the British champion unable to continue.
UFC president Dana White confirmed at the post-fight press conference that a rematch would be booked as soon as possible. White also praised Gane's performance prior to the foul, noting that the Frenchman had bloodied Aspinall's nose and denied him his usual early knockout. Gane, an underdog, had also stuffed Aspinall's takedown attempts, though he appeared to poke Aspinall in the eye during that exchange.
UFC analyst and former title challenger Dan Hardy analysed the fight, suggesting Aspinall may have struggled initially against Gane's speed and movement. 'I thought Ciryl looked really, really good,' Hardy told Submission Radio. 'Tom's footwork was very good, but I don't think he did enough as far as skirmishing with anything. I think he was too busy taking a look at Ciryl.'
Hardy speculated that Aspinall would have adapted in the second round, potentially attacking Gane's legs with more pressure. However, he also noted that Gane had lost the element of surprise for the rematch. 'I could've quite easily seen Ciryl going on to win that fight,' Hardy added. 'It would've most likely been a decision.'
Despite the controversy, Hardy believes Aspinall will make the necessary adjustments for the rematch. 'I'll stick with my original pick. I think Tom will make the adjustments. I think he's gonna look more aggressive, and I do think he's gonna try and slow Ciryl down by taking his legs away.'
