Aspinall Vs. Gane Stoppage Called A ‘Crime’

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Mar 20, 2026 7:13 AM ET

UFC commentator Joe Rogan called the no-contest stoppage title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane as a “crime” against the sport.

The October 2025 bout in Abu Dhabi at UFC 321, which was Aspinall’s first heavyweight title defense, ended in a No Contest that has left the champion’s career in jeopardy. At the 4:35 mark of the first round, Gane accidentally caught Aspinall with a double eye poke. Aspinall was immediately unable to see, telling the ringside doctor and referee Jason Herzog.

In February, Aspinall underwent surgery for bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome. The champion still suffers from double vision. Rogan argued that Gane was “taking command” and finding his rhythm before the foul. He lamented that such a high-level technical fight was robbed of a conclusion.

Rogan Reacts

“It’s a crime in the sport that the fight with Aspinall got stopped the way it did. It’s a crime, because that fight was playing out in a very interesting direction because Aspinall was having a really hard time touching that guy. He was getting busted up, touched up a lot. Ciryl’s jab is legit!

“And how many times has he been to the second round? My thought was: the real problem that Aspinall was going to present is in the grappling, he’s a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, big f—-, fast and has a great [double-leg]. But when he was standing there in front of Ciryl Gane, this was the first time that he was facing a guy who was agile, quick, and very technical. Ciryl Gane was doing a lot of sneaky s—,” Rogan said

The Reality

Before the eye poke, Gane was arguably finding his range. He had already bloodied Aspinall’s nose with a sharp jab and successfully stuffed a takedown attempt. Rogan’s point about Gane “taking command” is supported by the early striking stats, which showed Gane slightly ahead (30-27 in significant strikes) and appearing more comfortable in the center of the Octagon.

Both men are known for high-IQ fighting. Aspinall had been landing heavy leg kicks to slow Gane down, and the “crime” Rogan refers to is the loss of the adjustments that would have happened in rounds two through five. Instead of a definitive result, the division was left in a state of uncertainty.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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