Jiri Prochazka becomes the latest to question Tom Aspinall after eye pokes led to UFC 321 no contest

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka is the latest to question Tom Aspinall’s eye injuries suffered at UFC 321.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has come under fire in the hours following a no-contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Just minutes into the UFC 321 main event, accidental eye pokes from Gane left Aspinall badly compromised and unable to continue fighting.

It was a disastrous end to Aspinall’s long-awaited first undisputed heavyweight title fight after his promotion earlier this year. In the hours after UFC 321, Aspinall has been a subject of heavy criticism from fans, pundits, and analysts who questioned the severity of his injuries.

While Aspinall’s father’s recent admissions point to a significant health concern for the UFC heavyweight champion, that hasn’t stopped a firestorm of criticism from heading his way. Former UFC champ Aljamain Sterling went as far as to question whether or not Aspinall was looking for a way out of the fight after a competitive first few minutes against Gane.

Another former UFC titleholder, Jiri Prochazka, didn’t go as far in his first reaction to the UFC 321 incident. But he revealed how he would’ve handled being in Aspinall’s shoes after the eye pokes.

Jiri Prochazka questions Tom Aspinall for being unable to continue fighting at UFC 321

In a recent Instagram comment, Prochazka weighed in on the UFC 321 controversy.

“I really don’t know how much it [hurt] in last week’s title fight, but for me, it’s essential to win,” Prochazka said.

Prochazka most recently defeated Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 320 to earn another potential light heavyweight title shot. He’s won back-to-back fights since two losses to light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Aspinall continues to undergo extensive testing on both of his compromised eyes following UFC 321. A timeline for his return to the Octagon is uncertain, as of this writing, although UFC CEO Dana White admitted he wants to schedule a rematch between Aspinall and Gane.