Joe Rogan: Tom Aspinall Got a Raw Deal

Joe Rogan believes Tom Aspinall faced unfair criticism following UFC 321. The UFC Heavyweight Champion's first title defense against Ciryl Gane last October in Abu Dhabi ended in a no-contest after Aspinall suffered an accidental eye poke and was unable to continue the bout.

Aspinall, who holds a 15-3 MMA record and an 8-1 UFC record, subsequently underwent two eye surgeries. Despite this, many accused him of exaggerating the severity of his injury.

“They were unfair to him,” Rogan stated about Aspinall on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast. “They really screwed him over for that fight. The way people got mad at him for that fight being stopped because of an eye poke, it drove me crazy.

What do you expect the man to do? He’s defending the heavyweight title. He gets poked in the eye, he can’t see, and he’s had two surgeries since then. If you look at the foul itself, Gane had his fingers in his eye socket up to the knuckles.”

Aspinall is expected to face Gane again, who boasts a 14-2 MMA record and an 11-2 UFC record. Meanwhile, the Frenchman claimed the interim title after defeating Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June. Rogan is outraged by claims that Aspinall could have continued the fight against Gane.

“I just hate the way the fans reacted – and it’s the casuals, it’s the idiots,” Rogan said. “I was thinking, ‘My God, give the man a break. He almost had his eye gouged out.’ Gane literally had his fingers in his eyes up to the knuckles.

For anyone to think Aspinall should have continued fighting with only one eye – ‘Who cares, keep fighting’ – is absolute madness. A foul was committed against him. This didn't happen because of a punch, kick, or elbow, but because of an illegal action. Therefore, the fight had to be stopped exactly as it was, and everyone should understand that. The fault was not his, but his opponent’s.”