Aspinall set for surgery on 'nightmare' eye injury

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall will have surgery on the "nightmare" eye injury he suffered in his title fight against Ciryl Gane.

The Briton, 32, was poked in both eyes by Frenchman Gane in the first round of the UFC 321 headline bout in Abu Dhabi in October.

After a lengthy timeout Aspinall, who was making his first defence of the title, was unable to continue and the fight was ruled a no contest.

In November he was diagnosed with "significant traumatic bilateral Brown's syndrome" and persistent double vision.

Aspinall said he will have surgery on his right eye.

In a video posted on British UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett's YouTube channel, Aspinall said: "It's been a bit of a long process because with other injuries they fix them straight away.

"But with eyes, because it's obviously risky, they try and let them heal naturally.

"So we're getting surgery. It will keep me out for a little bit. I'm not sure how long.

"We've got a meeting about it soon. It's been a slow process - a nightmare, to be honest."

Referee Jason Herzog ruled Gane's eye poke to be accidental.

But Aspinall said he was caught in the eye three times during the fight, which lasted only four minutes 35 seconds.

"Three times he did it in one round," Aspinall said.

"The points deduction should be sacked off. First one is an accident; second one is on purpose."

Since beating Sergei Pavlovich to win the interim title in November 2023, Aspinall has fought only twice.