Tom Aspinall reflects on fan backlash to eye poke injuries, says eye surgery worse than vasectomy

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has opened up about the severe pain and recovery challenges he faced following his no-contest bout with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October, when multiple eye pokes forced the fight's stoppage. In an appearance on Great Company With Jamie Lang, Aspinall revealed he underwent three eye surgeries—one on his left eye and two on his right—to repair the damage, describing the procedures as far more traumatic than any other surgery he has experienced, including a vasectomy.

Aspinall detailed the grueling nature of eye surgery, explaining that he remained conscious throughout the procedures while surgeons used drops and injections to numb the area before making incisions. "They're coming at you with like a scalpel or knife, and you're just watching them slice your eyeball open," he recalled, calling the experience "horrendous." Beyond the physical ordeal, Aspinall also grappled with genuine fear about potential vision loss during the initial two weeks of recovery.

The injuries and subsequent layoff came at a difficult moment in Aspinall's career. He had captured the interim heavyweight title with a 69-second knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023, defended it against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024, and was promoted to undisputed champion after Jon Jones announced his retirement. However, the no-contest with Gane drew considerable fan backlash, with critics suggesting he had ducked out of the fight.

Addressing the negativity, Aspinall reflected on the difficult reality of being a fighter in the modern MMA landscape. He acknowledged that fans view fighters as "Saturday night entertainment" and that criticism comes with the territory when you're not actively competing. While he expressed frustration with the harsh online commentary, Aspinall also pushed back against armchair critics, noting that many of those commenting have never competed at an elite level and therefore lack understanding of what it takes to reach his position. "You don't see many fighters coming out and saying it," he added, highlighting how rarely athletes publicly discuss these psychological and physical challenges.