The image of Tom Aspinall clutching his face, unable to open his right eye inside Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, is one that no UFC fan will soon forget. Just four minutes and thirty-five seconds into his first undisputed title defense at UFC 321, Ciryl Gane’s outstretched fingers changed everything. The fight ended before it even began, the referee waving it off after Aspinall admitted he couldn’t see. What should’ve been the biggest night of the British heavyweight’s career turned into heartbreak, and a historic first as it was the first UFC title fight ever to end in a no-contest due to an eye poke.

In the aftermath, both fighters expressed disappointment, with Gane apologizing profusely and Aspinall venting his frustration at the crowd’s boos. But beneath the surface lies a deeper issu

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