Tom Aspinall’s professional career has encountered a significant setback following a diagnosis of a rare eye condition. The 32-year-old mixed martial artist was injured during his heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane on October 21, 2023, at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. The fight ended in a no-contest after Aspinall suffered a severe eye injury, which was caused by an accidental poke from Gane’s fingers in the first round.
The incident prompted immediate medical attention as replays revealed the severity of the injury. Aspinall later disclosed that he has been diagnosed with Brown’s syndrome in both eyes, a condition that affects the upward movement of the eyes, significantly impacting his vision. He is currently not cleared to return to the octagon.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Aspinall shared, “We’ve got to see how it goes over the next few weeks. I’m not in the gym training at the moment. I’m just following the doctor’s orders right now.” His situation is serious; a medical report he shared on Instagram highlighted issues including double vision, reduced eye motility, limited visual function, and substantial visual field loss.
Despite these challenges, Aspinall remains determined to return to fighting when he receives medical clearance. He stated, “I’ve got to be 100 percent right. So whenever the eye’s good to go, that’s when I’ll do it.”
The aftermath of the injury has been particularly difficult for Aspinall. Just three days following the incident, he reported being unable to see out of his right eye. He expressed frustration towards Gane, accusing him of ignoring repeated warnings from referee Jason Herzog regarding the use of his fingers during the fight. Aspinall voiced his anger, stating, “All that training for that. What the f*** is he doing? He got warned twice before it. Twice before it he got warned for it and he f***ing did it again.”
As the MMA community monitors Aspinall’s recovery closely, fans and fellow fighters alike are hopeful for his return. The fighter’s resilience and commitment to his health may eventually pave the way for a rematch with Gane, once he is fully recovered.
