Dana White responds after being publicly called out by Tom Aspinall for his reaction to the eye poke

Dana White has clarified his remarks.

All does not seem to be well between the UFC and the promotion’s heavyweight champion after the events that unfolded in Abu Dhabi this past October.

Ciryl Gane’s eye poke against Tom Aspinall resulted in the UFC 321 main event ending in a no contest, marking an anticlimactic and inconclusive conclusion to the first heavyweight title fight of the year.

The immediate reaction in the MMA community included some criticism of the Englishman for not continuing, and the UFC president caused a stir when he appeared to share that controversial sentiment.

Do you understand why Tom Aspinall could not continue at UFC 321?

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Dana White insists he said nothing negative about Tom Aspinall

White’s remarks did not please Aspinall, who addressed them and a number of other topics regarding his first undisputed heavyweight title defense in a video on his YouTube channel.

Speaking at his post-fight press conference following Saturday’s UFC 323 pay-per-view in Las Vegas, White addressed Aspinall going public with his frustration.

The promotion’s president insists he said nothing negative about the champ.

“I get it. I don’t remember exactly what I said…that I think his eyes were okay?” White said.

“Here’s the thing, I know Tom said I haven’t even talked to him, but we have people all over him right now, checking up on him, making sure he’s good, (asking) if he needs any help or a specialist.

“I am no doctor. I am just saying what I’ve heard,” he continued. “It wasn’t said in a way, ‘Oh, I think he’s fine!’ I said, ‘I think Tom’s eyes are good, he’s gonna take some time, heal…’

“I wasn’t saying anything negative toward him. I think that things can be taken out of context, or he didn’t see what I said.

“Never once did I say anything negative about him in a derogatory way.”