Tom Aspinall’s debut fight as the heavyweight champion ended in controversy when the match was declared a no contest due to eye pokes by Ciryl Gane.

The British star had a challenging year, with his last fight in July 2024 resulting in a quick victory over Curtis Blaydes. Aspinall was supposed to face Jon Jones in a unification match, but Jones retired without committing to the fight.

In the anticipated showdown with Gane, the fight was halted in the first round after Aspinall was accidentally poked in the eyes, leading to a no contest ruling. Despite the setback, Aspinall retained his title.

Following the incident, Aspinall was taken to the hospital for further evaluation, and UFC President Dana White expressed interest in rescheduling the heavyweight clash.

In other UFC 321 fights, Mackenzie Dern became the new undisputed women’s strawweight champion, Umar Nurmagomedov secured a victory over Mario Bautista, and Alexander Volkov defeated Jailton Almeida. The main card also featured a light-heavyweight bout won by Azamat Murzakanov.

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