It seems bright mornings are still a distant dream for Tom Aspinall. Just three days removed from the disastrous UFC 321 main event, the Englishman’s first undisputed title defense ended in heartbreak after Ciryl Gane accidentally poked him in both eyes. The incident left Aspinall unable to continue, marking the first time in UFC history that a championship fight was ruled a no-contest due to an eye poke. While early reports from Abu Dhabi hinted at a positive recovery, recent updates from his father, Andy Aspinall, reveal that the heavyweight champion is still struggling with his vision.
Andy Aspinall Shares Update on Tom Aspinall’s Recovery Three Days After UFC 321
According to Andy, after returning home to England, they arranged another appointment following the initial treatment in Abu Dhabi. Despite going through several of the same tests, doctors confirmed there is no long-term damage to the heavyweight champion’s eyes. However, his condition appears to have worsened since Saturday night.
In another video posted on his YouTube channel, Andy gave a grim update on his son’s current state, saying, “It’s bad – it’s not good. His eye is a little bit more closed than it was.”
He continued, “His right eye, he can’t see anything – it’s just gray. (A second eye doctor) tested him on words, and he just couldn’t see anything. His left eye is 50 percent. It went about four letters (down the chart), and then he couldn’t see letters. So one is really, really blurry and one is not working.”
🚨 Tom Aspinall’s father provides an update on his injury, and says he still can’t see out of his right eye 😳
“It’s bad. It’s not good. His right eye, he still can’t see anything. He said it’s just grey.
His left eye is 50%. Really really blurry.”
🎥 @AspinallMMA pic.twitter.com/N9OTz6DHnJ
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 28, 2025
Andy added that more tests and a CT scan are scheduled this week to ensure the bone around the eye is fine, which doctors currently believe to be the case. Beyond the physical damage, Andy revealed that his son is also struggling mentally.
After finally returning to the Octagon following 14 months of inactivity, the reigning heavyweight champion’s comeback ended in frustration. He had previously endured long, fruitless negotiations for a unification bout with Jon Jones, only for ‘Bones’ to retire earlier this year, denying Aspinall the chance to unify the titles.
The 62-year-old said, “He’s just in a foul mood. He’s not in a happy place. He’s not making his home life that happy because he’s mad and upset that we’ve spent.”
Andy continued, “He’s had like three or four years now with taking Fight of the Night, taking the fight on short notice, being the back-up fighter, sitting around waiting for Jon Jones, and we get a fight, and it’s been 15 months when he got three minutes of fighting time in, however long it’s been.”
Adding to the frustration, several veterans such as Chael Sonnen, Dustin Poirier, Aljamain Sterling, Andrei Arlovski, and even Dana White have questioned Aspinall’s decision not to continue after the eye poke, implying that he could have fought through it.
ALSO READ: Jon Jones Labels Tom Aspinall a Quitter as 6-Month-Old Unreleased Footage Comes to Life
Tom Aspinall and Dana White’s awkward relationship over the last week:
▫️ Dana White publicly unhappy that Tom Aspinall says he would vacate his title if his friend Ante Delija got a title shot
▫️ Tom Aspinall’s dad publicly reveals that Tom has 3 fights (now 2) left on his… pic.twitter.com/IkYmXNw0mX
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) October 28, 2025
Andy responded to those remarks by saying they aren’t paying much attention to outside criticism. Their frustration stems from how the fight ended and the uncertainty surrounding the champ’s recovery. The elder Aspinall also called on the UFC to consider introducing stricter rules or consequences for fighters responsible for accidental fouls that cause serious damage.
For now, fans can only hope Tom Aspinall’s recovery goes smoothly. But given the severity of his symptoms, it’s clear that his first undisputed title defense will take longer than anyone expected.
