Paddy Pimblett has reacted to the controversial ending of UFC 321, where Tom Aspinall's heavyweight title defence against Ciryl Gane was cut short by an accidental eye poke. The bout, which took place in Abu Dhabi, was declared a No Contest after Gane's double eye poke left Aspinall unable to continue in the first round.
Aspinall, who was defending the undisputed heavyweight belt for the first time, was taken to hospital following the incident. The Independent reported that while no bone damage was sustained, the British fighter was struggling to see out of both eyes and was due for further tests upon returning to the UK.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pimblett described the ending as 'anticlimactic as it gets' and called for an immediate rematch. 'If this ends like this, it will be one of the worst pay-per-views in the UFC's history,' said the Liverpool lightweight contender. 'They've got to run that back, you can't not do that fight again.'
Pimblett also criticised the UFC gloves, suggesting changes are needed to prevent similar incidents. 'They need to do something with the gloves, so you can't do that with your fingers,' he added. The UFC had trialled new gloves in 2024 to reduce eye pokes but reverted to the old design.
UFC president Dana White confirmed at the post-fight press conference that a rematch would be booked as soon as possible. The fight's abrupt end was a disappointment for both fighters, with Aspinall having been out of action for 15 months and Gane seeking to win the undisputed heavyweight title for the third time after two previous failed attempts.
