Tom Aspinall and his staff are nonetheless reeling from the injury carried out at UFC 321.
This previous Saturday’s most important occasion in Abu Dhabi resulted in catastrophe for all events concerned, however particularly for Aspinall, who was unable to proceed combating after being poked within the eyes by Ciryl Gane. Making issues worse, this was Aspinall’s first title protection as undisputed heavyweight champion, so although he retained his belt, it was in a way that drew a variety of responses from fighters and analysts, with some questioning his resolve, and others supporting his resolution.
Aspinall’s father and head coach Andy spoke on the fighter’s YouTube channel concerning the incident and supplied an replace on Aspinall’s situation a number of days faraway from the incident.
“[Eye specialist] mentioned it’s dangerous,” Andy mentioned. “It’s not good, however his eye is just a little bit extra closed than it was. His proper eye he nonetheless can’t see something. It’s simply grey. They’ve examined him on phrases and he simply couldn’t see something. His left eye, 50 p.c, he went down about 4 letters after which simply couldn’t see the letters. So one’s actually, actually blurry and one’s nonetheless not working.”
Requested how Aspinall is doing mentally, Andy admitted his son has been in a poor temper within the aftermath of UFC 321. Nevertheless, he insists they haven’t nervous an excessive amount of about reactions from pundits or social media and that any frustration they’re feeling is strictly from how the competition performed out and the uncertainty they now need to cope with.
“For me, every part’s about his well being,” Andy mentioned. “It’s not about combating, that’s simply what he selected to do as a job and one of many penalties you will get damage. But it surely’s a foul consequence when you lose your sight, particularly by a foul. And I’m not getting at Ciryl Gane in any method, this occurs quite a bit in MMA. If you happen to commit a foul with an eye fixed poke, the referee simply says, ‘Don’t do it.’
“No person’s ever misplaced a combat due to an eye fixed poke and I’m not saying any individual ought to win or lose, however the security of the factor is paramount and I’m fed up with saying if it was any individual else’s son, they’d say what I say. In case your son’s combating, you need him to be as secure as you’ll be able to and he obtained poked within the eye and it’s dangerous and he might have misplaced his sight. Nonetheless not obtained his sight in a single eye, so we don’t know, we’re nonetheless ready. Time is a healer, hopefully.”
Andy doesn’t even take umbrage with Gane, who might have been straight accountable for the bout ending in a no-contest, however can be presumably extremely dissatisfied that his third try and develop into undisputed UFC heavyweight champion ended with him empty-handed as soon as once more.
For Aspinall’s staff, till modifications are made at a structural stage, fights are all the time prone to being spoiled by a foul, unintentional or in any other case.
“From our aspect, it was horrendous as a result of our most important man who all of us work with and round and are with daily couldn’t see and also you noticed the temper he was in,” Andy mentioned. “So upset and so grieved, and Ciryl I’m certain the identical, however he fouled. There’s a consequence or needs to be a consequence to fouling and he’s not obtained a consequence. I’m not saying he ought to have.
“The UFC have gotten some guidelines. What’s going to it take to vary these guidelines? Will it take any individual’s eye being poked and falling on the ground? I don’t assume that’s a factor, I’m certain it’s not, however what does it take? Is it the cash? That individuals gained’t watch the fights as a result of they’re not as thrilling as a result of the gloves aren’t pretty much as good. I don’t know the reply. The previous PRIDE gloves had been completely different. However one thing, from my perspective, must be carried out within the sport to cease occurring what occurred on Saturday night time in Tom’s combat.”
