Ciryl Gane prepares for his first defence of the UFC heavyweight title next month. A dark cloud has followed the French fighter since he became the king of the mixed martial arts leader's 265lbs division.
Gane moved from interim to undisputed champion in September after British fighter Tom Aspinall vacated the belt. Aspinall suffered a setback in his recovery from multiple eye surgeries. Those operations resulted from Gane striking the Atherton athlete with a double eye poke late in the first round of their bout in Abu Dhabi last October.
Fans have criticized the promotion of Gane, who won the interim title in June by defeating Alex Pereira at the White House, because Aspinall would not have been injured without the eye gouging. British mixed martial arts pioneer Brad Pickett spoke to SunSport via Best Online Casinos about the situation, stating, “He's not fighting at the moment, and he's had his belt stripped.”
Pickett added, “I think it was all very unjust for such an unfortunate incident. I don't blame Ciryl Gane, but I do understand the division does have to go on.”
Aspinall gave up the belt after his right eye worsened following a hit during preparations for a unification rematch against Gane at UFC 334 next month. He must wait until January for an optic scan, which might require additional surgery.
Fans labeled Aspinall a quitter online after the illegal pokes disrupted his life. Pickett defended him, saying, “I feel so bad for Tom. When it first happened, I didn't think it looked too bad. It didn't look too bad at all. I was like, 'Mate, mate!'”
Pickett continued, “But then also you see; think about what's on the line. You don't wanna roll the dice. You work so hard to get to the top. So you don't just go, 'Oh, let me just go back in. I might be able to do all right.'”
Pickett explained, “You fight the best guys in the world. So if you've been impaired, and also by an illegal blow, why would you continue? Then afterwards, it shows he's not faking nothing. He's a fighter; do you reckon if he could fight, he wouldn't be fighting? He 100 per cent would be fighting.”
He added, “He's not just living on the money that he's earned. He's earned good money, don't get me wrong, but he's a fighter. He's earned that sort of money because he loves fighting. He had to fight to go earn that money. And people don't realise his livelihood's gone now.”
Aspinall remains upset by the viral foul from Gane, which he considers intentional. However, Pickett noted, “I don't think it was deliberate. It's careless sometimes, but I don't think he deliberately poked in the eye. Sometimes you're not thinking straight.”
Pickett concluded, “I don't think it's a deliberate foul and that he meant to be like, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna poke you in the eyes.' It wasn't deliberate, I get that, but yes, it was careless of him and that is one thing in the sport which is really bad.”
