Former UFC title contenders Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith expressed their views that Tom Aspinall should have persevered in the fight at UFC 321.
Aspinall (15-3 MMA) aimed to secure his first successful defense of the undisputed heavyweight title he recently obtained earlier today in Abu Dhabi. He had been elevated to the status of undisputed champion this past summer, following Jon Jones’ unexpected announcement of his retirement from the sport in June.
Challenging Aspinall’s pursuit of solidifying his undisputed status was Ciryl Gane, a former title challenger and interim champion. Gane entered today’s competition riding a two-fight winning streak, having previously defeated Alexander Volkov (by split decision) and Serghei Spivac (by TKO) in his most recent appearances inside the Octagon.
The highly anticipated heavyweight title bout began with Tom Aspinall displaying aggressive tactics. However, despite Aspinall’s evident intention to achieve a swift victory, Ciryl Gane maintained composure and executed a well-timed kick followed by a 1-2 combination that resulted in a nose injury for the defending champion. Regrettably, these effective strikes were immediately followed by an unintentional eye poke from Gane, a transgression that rendered Aspinall unable to proceed.
Certain spectators, including some fellow competitors, voiced criticism regarding Tom Aspinall’s choice to discontinue the match at UFC 321. This viewpoint was apparently echoed by former UFC title challengers, Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith, who now serve as analysts, during the post-fight broadcast.
Chael Sonnen and Anthony Smith believe Tom Aspinall should’ve continued the fight 😬
“You’re the heavyweight champion, you’ve gotta fight with one eye at times… I’ve checked out of fights before, I know what it looks like. I knew he was done.
If you get poked in the eye and… pic.twitter.com/nnPXGUr3OG
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 26, 2025
“Being poked in the eye is against the rules, but fighting with limited vision is part of the sport. Your opponent is aiming to strike your face, damage your nose, and cause bleeding. That aspect of the situation raises questions for Anthony and me,” Chael Sonnen remarked. “We are attempting to be considerate and respectful, but realistically, you hold the heavyweight championship. You must sometimes fight with compromised vision.”
Sonnen elaborated:
“It seemed the fight presented unexpected challenges for Tom Aspinall. My concern with Tom, although not his fault, arises from his exceptional talent. He has secured first-round finishes against six opponents. He has never competed in a third round, for instance. The question becomes: how will he react when faced with adversity?”
Anthony Smith also shared interesting opinions regarding Tom Aspinall’s decision not to continue the fight:
“I am not assigning blame to Tom. I do not pretend to fully understand the severity of the situation. Chael made a valid point about needing to be accustomed to or willing to fight with limited sight. I experienced that in Singapore. You should never verbalize ‘I can’t see’ if you desire to continue fighting.”
What are your thoughts? Should Aspinall have attempted to continue at UFC 321?
