Michael Bisping says Tom Aspinall is ‘playing into the narrative’ in proving severity of UFC 321 injuries

UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping advised Tom Aspinall on how to handle criticism of his fight at UFC 321 correctly.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been the target of intense criticism since his first undisputed title defense at UFC 321.

Just minutes into his fight with Ciryl Gane, Aspinall was unable to continue fighting after several accidental eye pokes from Gane, leading to significant vision issues. Aspinall’s heart has been questioned by several of his fighting colleagues, including Jon Jones and former UFC bantamweight champions TJ Dillashaw and Aljamain Sterling.

Aspinall recently hit back at fan criticism by proving the severity of his eye injuries in several video updates. One of Aspinall’s loyal allies believes he’s making a mistake in addressing his detractors after UFC 321.

Michael Bisping questions Tom Aspinall’s handling of UFC 321 criticism

In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping advised Aspinall on how to handle the skepticism following UFC 321.

“Don’t come online and show the doctor’s note,” Bisping advised Aspinall.

“I understand why he wants to do that. He wants to say, ‘Look, six weeks later and the doctor still says I’m not fit to fight,’ but all you are doing is playing into the narrative of the haters. Playing into this narrative that you’re a victim, showing the world that you’re vulnerable. You don’t have to do that. We all saw you get poked. They were deep, and it was a double eye poke that rolled all the way out to the knuckle. It was a shame. It’s a bloody travesty that it happened. Just come back and whoop some a–, and on the way take no prisoners.

“Sure, say Ciryl Gane did it on purpose. Call him a p—- because you’re going to set foot in the Octagon, and you’re going to fight the guy,” Bisping continued. “Say, ‘I’m going to absolutely marmelize you. I’m going to make you pay for being the cheating b—— that you are.'” (h/t MMA Junkie)

UFC CEO Dana White and the matchmakers are looking to book an Aspinall vs. Gane rematch in 2026.