Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is facing a troubling recovery in the wake of his draw against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, where an accidental double eye poke forced the fight to be ruled a no-contest. According to his father and coach, Andy Aspinall, the vision in Tom’s right eye remains non-functional and his left eye is only partially restored.

In a video posted on Tom’s YouTube channel, his father shared grim details from recent medical evaluations: “Right now he still can’t see anything out of that right eye—it’s just gray.” He added that the left eye is operating at approximately half of its normal capacity, after additional tests showed a decline in his ability to read letters during vision screening. These assessments were conducted both in Abu Dhabi immediately after the fight and at a specialist clinic in the United Kingdom. Andy emphasized that while they hold no animosity toward Gane—who was found to have accidentally poked both eyes—the incident exposed a safety concern the family says needs addressing. “This happens a lot in MMA,” he stated, but “if your son gets poked in the eye, you want surety he’s going to be safe. Right now we don’t have that.”

Medical staff have cleared Aspinall of any displaced eye-socket bone fractures or more serious structural damage. However, further testing—including a CT scan to evaluate muscle function and bone integrity—is underway. Because of the injury’s severity and ongoing recovery process, the previously anticipated rematch with Gane is now unlikely to be scheduled before early 2026.

The impairment has taken both a physical and mental toll on the champion, who acknowledged that his mood has been low in the days since the event. Still, the camp’s priority remains clear: Eyecare and long-term health come before any return to the Octagon.

For now, the heavyweight division remains unresolved. Aspinall holds his title due to the no-contest ruling, but the path forward hinges on his recovery. Until his vision is fully cleared, his activity, fight-booking and championship timeline are all on hold.

As fans, analysts and the promotion wait, the most immediate concern remains private and medical: Will the champion regain full sight, and when can he safely fight again?