UFC legend defends Ciryl Gane against Tom Aspinall’s ‘cheater’ label following eye poke controversy

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier isn’t buying the narrative that Ciryl Gane’s integrity is tainted after he eye-poked Tom Aspinall.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense ended in a disaster as his UFC 321 bout with Ciryl Gane last year was ruled a no-contest after multiple eye pokes. Four months and counting since the fight, Aspinall continues to recover from multiple eye injuries stemming from the fight, and recently underwent surgeries on both eyes.

Amidst uncertainty regarding Aspinall’s return to the Octagon, the UFC could potentially book an interim title fight between Gane and another top contender. However, this hasn’t been proposed by Dana White yet.

In the meantime, Aspinall continues to label Gane a ‘cheater’ as their feud continues to escalate after UFC 321. He believes Gane eye-poked him on purpose just minutes into their fight, although Gane has vehemently denied all of Aspinall’s allegations.

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier was the victim of several nasty eye pokes during his legendary career in fights with Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. Cormier didn’t believe they were on purpose, and believes Aspinall should take a similar stance.

Daniel Cormier ‘doesn’t believe’ Tom Aspinall’s narrative that Ciryl Gane is a cheater

In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier reacted to Aspinall’s ongoing feud with Gane since their UFC 321 fight.

“Poking somebody in the eye, for the most part, is by accident,” Cormier said of Gane.

“There are things that happen in the Octagon, and things are moving so fast, right? I was more inclined to believe that it was an accident. Tom Aspinall doesn’t…he thinks without a shadow of a doubt Ciryl Gane poked him on purpose, and I don’t believe it.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

Aspinall could potentially return later this summer to defend his undisputed title, although a firm timeline for a comeback fight remains a mystery. In the meantime, Gane could potentially fight another top contender during Aspinall’s absence.

Do you believe Ciryl Gane is a cheater? Let us know in the comments!