Tom Aspinall Opens Up About Severe Eye Injury from UFC 321
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has finally addressed the full extent of his eye injury from UFC 321 in an exclusive interview with Adam Catterall. The incident occurred on October 25, 2025, when Aspinall suffered a double eye poke from Ciryl Gane in the opening round, forcing the referee to stop the fight and rule it a no-contest. This was the first time a UFC title match ended due to eye pokes.
Aspinall described his experience, stating, “Just not being able to see properly, mainly. Double vision, yeah. I’m not blind. I’m not going to pull a Stevie Wonder, mate, like my eye’s fully poked out, but just double vision mainly.” Despite his efforts to downplay the severity, medical documents revealed that Aspinall was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome, a rare condition that disrupts the superior oblique tendon-trochlear complex in both eyes, causing restricted upward eye movement and persistent double vision.
Recovery and Surgery
Aspinall confirmed that he will undergo surgery on his worst eye next week, with a second operation scheduled for mid-January on the other eye. “The first eye is going to be sorted next week. We’re going to have surgery on that next week. Second one’s got to be done midway through January,” he explained. The goal is to eliminate the double vision and restore proper vision.
Focus on Health and Future Plans
Aspinall emphasized that his immediate focus remains on health, not fighting. “I’m just thinking about my health at the minute, to be honest. You’ve got to take one step at a time, don’t you?” However, the championship rematch is part of his long-term vision. “Obviously, the plan is to go back and beat the living daylights out of Gane,” he stated, before pivoting back to the present. “But right now the short-term plan is to get back to where I should be, get back in the gym.”
Aspinall acknowledged that being without his vision is “pretty scary,” but he has used the past ten weeks to reassess his priorities. “I’ve learned so much about myself and other people.” As he continues on his road to recovery, Aspinall’s determination and focus on his health will be crucial in his journey back to the octagon.
