Is Tom Aspinall Overplaying Eye Injury? Alex Pereira’s Take Clashes with Controversial Narrative

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira weighs in on the scrutiny Tom Aspinall has been facing since suffering an eye injury at UFC 321.

Is Tom Aspinall Overplaying Eye Injury? Alex Pereira’s Take Clashes with Controversial Narrative

Alex Pereira's analysis of Tom Aspinall's eye poke (via X. MMA Fighting)

In Short
  • Tom Aspinall suffered a serious eye injury from an eye poke during UFC 321, leading to a no-contest ruling.
  • Alex Pereira defended Aspinall, emphasizing the legitimacy of the injury despite skepticism from some MMA figures.
  • Michael Bisping advised Aspinall to prioritize his recovery over the heavyweight title, suggesting he may need to vacate the belt.

Ever since the eye poke suffered by Tom Aspinall at UFC 321, he has faced scrutiny over the state of the heavyweight division and accusations of overplaying the injury. While medical updates confirmed the trauma, many note that eye pokes are common in MMA and often heal quickly. Despite this, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira supported Aspinall, emphasizing the seriousness of the injury.

During their heavyweight title fight, Aspinall was left blinded in one eye after an eye poke from Ciryl Gane in the first round, forcing him to discontinue the bout. The fight was officially ruled a no-contest, marking an interrupted first title defense for the British champion. Since then, Aspinall has revealed that his vision remains blurry and significantly impaired, and he is currently undergoing treatment to recover.

After the fight, several MMA figures, including Aljamain Sterling, Chael Sonnen, and Anthony Smith, suggested Aspinall was overplaying the injury to avoid the Gane bout. However, he recently shared a photo showing his eyes bloodshot, swollen, and visibly damaged after surgery. Pereira reacted to the image, strongly countering those claims and confirming that Aspinall’s injury is genuine and serious.

When the stoppage happened in the fight, he came out complaining. Some people didn’t believe him, others just trashed him. Look, I don’t mess around with health, man. I see it like the guy’s a fighter, he’s not gonna fake something like that. The guy’s back now after surgery. I saw the photo that he posted. Man, his eyes were all red. It even scared me a bit. The eyes are really delicate, you know.

Alex Pereira via YouTube

Adding to Pereira’s comments, journalist Petesy Carroll reported that Aspinall’s injury has affected his daily life and normal activities. The champion struggled to properly use his hands while shaking, experienced major balance issues, and frequently complained of a persistent black spot in his eye. He was also diagnosed with traumatic bilateral Brown’s syndrome, emphasizing the serious nature of the damage.

Before the UFC 321 incident, Aspinall was known as one of the kindest and most respectful heavyweights in the division. However, after facing backlash from parts of the MMA community, the British champion has indicated that fans will witness a shift in his demeanor when he returns. He revealed that he will no longer maintain the same respectful approach that had previously defined him in and out of the Octagon.

Alex Pereira initially reacted strongly to Aspinall’s injury, seeing it as a potential opportunity to pursue a heavyweight superfight against Jon Jones if the champion were stripped. However, recent updates on Tom Aspinall’s health and the severity of his eye trauma appear to have changed Pereira’s view. This underscores the genuine nature of the injury and the challenges the British champion continues to face.

Michael Bisping believes Tom Aspinall vacating the belt is not a bad idea

There was little talk of Tom Aspinall vacating the UFC heavyweight title until former lightweight Josh Thomson claimed the promotion planned to strip him so he could pursue boxing opportunities. The report was later proven false and lacked any credible sources. Despite this, UFC legend Michael Bisping suggested that vacating the belt should not be a major concern for his fellow British compatriot.

Michael Bisping and Tom Aspinall
Michael Bisping and Tom Aspinall (via Instagram)

Bisping has been close to Tom Aspinall’s family and has supported the heavyweight champion throughout his recovery. Having personally dealt with one of the worst eye injuries in MMA, Bisping recently revealed that Aspinall should vacate the belt if asked. He noted that it would allow the UFC and the division to move forward while the British heavyweight champion focuses on his health.

When (rumors) said they went to Tom and asked him to vacate, I kind of understood it… Tom’s waiting to make his comeback, he’s still very much the heavyweight champion of the world. I understand what Tom’s saying, okay? Because you do feel like the whole world is turning on you. And he wasn’t the person at fault. He wasn’t. But this is the world that we live in. The show must go on. If you get hurt at work and you can’t do your job on a Monday morning, the business still continues.

Michael Bisping also recently warned Tom Aspinall not to rush his return to the Octagon, stressing that any further damage to his eye could have serious long-term consequences. His advice underlines the need to prioritize full recovery over immediate competition. This reinforces that the heavyweight division’s progression should never come at the expense of the champion’s health and career longevity.

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