UFC 321: Aspinall vs Gane - Oct 25 ??

[wandshogun09]

Big Tommy’s got a sense of humour about it all at least ?

[Bruce85]

What do we think about the medical reports and interview Toms done? Hopefully he makes a full recovery and doesn’t need surgery. 
 

I wonder if he’s out for considerable time do they do an interim title? The division seems cursed at the moment, Francis leaving whilst still champ, Jones vs Stipe, then holding up the division, now the champ possible out for a while due to an eye poke. 
 

I know there won’t be but seems like there should be some repercussions for Gane and he shouldn’t get the imidiate rematch or fight for an interim title. 

[Kfogg1991]

Seriously Dana has a problem with mistreatment and public problems with their heavyweight champions it's mind-blowing expecially a division so starved of big names and stars.

I seriously hope I'm wrong but I can see them stripping Tom of the belt if it turns out he can't fight for a while because he has to recover from a really nasty foul that is not his fault but we are seeing how serious this constant rule break can be.

Really hope I'm wrong and he recovers and comes back late Feb beginning of march I don't feel good on it though.

[Dai]

On 12/2/2025 at 11:28 PM, Bruce85 said:

What do we think about the medical reports and interview Toms done? Hopefully he makes a full recovery and doesn’t need surgery. 
 

I wonder if he’s out for considerable time do they do an interim title? The division seems cursed at the moment, Francis leaving whilst still champ, Jones vs Stipe, then holding up the division, now the champ possible out for a while due to an eye poke. 
 

I know there won’t be but seems like there should be some repercussions for Gane and he shouldn’t get the imidiate rematch or fight for an interim title. 

Gane vs Jones for the Title at the White House, assuming Jones is still in the testing pool?

[wandshogun09]

On 12/2/2025 at 11:28 PM, Bruce85 said:

What do we think about the medical reports and interview Toms done? Hopefully he makes a full recovery and doesn’t need surgery. 

I haven’t seen the other video Tom put out on his own YouTube channel yet but I saw the medical report and watched the interview he did with Helwani and thought he came across well, although there wasn’t much he could tell us in terms of a timeline for his recovery or anything. From what he was saying the damage is all deep at the back of the eyes which makes it trickier, especially if they do need to operate. 

Of course, the report and this interview has done nothing to shut the haters up. Thought Tom was spot on when he said “I don’t say anything for weeks after my fight and people were like ‘He’s gone into hiding because he knew he quit’. And then the same people, when I put out doctor’s reports and footage from doctors are like ‘He’s fucking crying about it, he’s milking it’. All that stuff”. He can’t win. Helwani insinuating fans had “turned on him” was bollocks and I’m glad Tom got to correct that. I don’t think anyone’s turned on him. The idiots giving him shit now were against him going into that Gane fight and were looking for any reason to criticise him. I was glad Tom called them out as the “losers” they are. Whatever he did they were gonna hate. I’ve said it all along but it’s literally all Jones fans who are saying this stuff. Like it makes his ducking of the fight any less pathetic.

I will say though, fighters might wanna avoid going on Helwani’s show in the future if they wanna avoid unnecessary drama with UFC management. He’s always trying to get fighters to say stuff that can get them in trouble. I think it’s pretty clear at this point that Aspinall and his Dad aren’t on great terms with Dana behind the scenes, and Tom confirmed it in the interview. But Helwani keeps digging for dirt on that stuff and it’s not gonna lead to anything good for the fighter. I don’t know, maybe Tom’s at the point where he doesn’t care if it’s out there anymore. But Ariel does this kind of thing a lot and then when it blows up into drama he acts all innocent. Just feel like he’s shown himself to be a bit of a snakey prick over the years. 

2 hours ago, Dai said:

Gane vs Jones for the Title at the White House, assuming Jones is still in the testing pool?

I was gonna laugh at this but what other options do they really have? I still think Jones vs Pereira is probably more likely for the White House. Even though Dana’s been saying he doesn’t trust putting Jones on that card, I think he’ll end up caving. Whether that’s for an interim title or any kind of title or no title at all, I don’t know. I’ve seen people suggest Gane vs Pereira for an interim belt but I don’t know. I get the feeling Pereira’s not that fussed about any other Heavyweight fight except Jones right now. Maybe he’d go for it with the possibility of becoming the first three weight UFC champion being in reach but I’m not sure. Sounds mad and I never thought I’d be saying this at the start of the year but I wouldn’t be shocked if we get Gane vs Waldo Cortes Acosta for the interim title while Tom heals up. Yes. Fucking ‘Salsa Boy’ in the title mix.

Edited December 5, 2025 by wandshogun09

[Dai]

Yeah, if any fighter gives a shit what the fans think they must be mental. Best off just ignoring them. I agree that there isn't much upside on going on Helwanis show, I assume they don't get paid so I'm not sure of the value of it. 

I wouldn't take much stock in what Dana has said about Jones, or anything really. In terms of the stars aligning, then he must be over the moon with this, and the ability to get Jones back in for a heavyweight title fight. For a card as stacked as what this White House one will be, then there will be plenty on there, even if Bones does what Bones does. 

[wandshogun09]

Oh yeah I meant to mention as well, I’ve seen a lot of people saying ‘Tom won’t shut up, he keeps talking about it’ but as far as I can tell in the last month or so he’s only put out one video on his YouTube channel, he put out the doctors report and then done the Helwani interview. I think the fact that engagement farming Twitter accounts have been clipping 30 second snippets of the Helwani interview all week and posting them non-stop in about 20 different clips is what’s making it seem like he’s going on about it all the time. Seriously, you couldn’t move on my timeline this week without seeing clips of Aspinall talking about his eyes. But it’s all coming from the same single interview. Are MMA fans too thick to realise that or do they actually think he’s putting these snippets out himself each day? Rhetorical question, the answer is yes they are that thick. 

I even saw Luke Thomas say something the other day about it. Basically saying Aspinall’s doing himself no favours by talking about it so much. That it’s not a good look. Why’s Aspinall being painted as the one in the wrong in all this? And like Tom said, he was still being given shit in the few weeks after the fight when he was saying nothing, so it’s not all backlash to this recent stuff he’s put out. 

Edited December 5, 2025 by wandshogun09

[Jesse]

I think as much as the MAGAfication has been offputting, it's the fandom you describe that has completely driven me away from MMA. The constant engagement farming, lowest common denominator shit just floods everywhere (apart from the beautiful bastion of truth that is this forum) and makes it absolutely miserable to be a fan. It's not unique to MMA, mind, it's similar stuff that has driven me away from wrestling.

[wandshogun09]

Sorry to bump an old thread but this article by Petesy Carroll on Tom Aspinall’s current situation after surgery this week is well worth a read…

https://sports.yahoo.com/mma/article/inside-tom-aspinalls-108-day-nightmare-the-untold-reality-of-the-ufc-champs-recovery-140032749.html

I know no eye surgery is gonna be a stroll in the park but this quote from Aspinall just after the surgery sounds especially grim…

I’m not a very squeamish person but anything to do with eyes being injured, operated on or messed with freaks me right out.

Hopefully he eventually makes a full recovery but it doesn’t look too good at the minute. We’re nearly four months removed from Gane’s wandering fingers going knuckle deep in his eyes and Tom’s still having all these issues. Yet half the fanbase is calling him a bitch. Whole thing is mental. Why would he go to these lengths and actually get eye surgery to justify “quitting” in a fight? 

No wonder he sounds disillusioned with the sport. This bit of the article could be something to come back to down the line…

I think the way a lot of fans and Dana have reacted to this whole situation has potentially killed a lot of his desire to even bother with this bollocks anymore. No doubt he wants to come back but there must be part him thinking “fuck ‘em all” now. 

Poor prick.

Edited February 13 by wandshogun09

[Dai]

Sad but true the way he feels about the business. He could be gone for a year but the train keeps moving foward and he won't be missed at all. Must be grim to be the heavyweight champ and not have any position of power in negotiations. I bet his plan is to ride out the rest of his contract and hopefully get a few boxing paydays ot set him up for life. 

[Bruce85]

Gotta really feel for Tom. Seems like a top bloke and his UFC career really has been an utter mess and none of it is he’s fault. 
 

I think he had potential to be one of the best heavyweights the UFC has ever seen but he’s just not getting the chance to prove it. It’s been mentioned in other threads but the state of the division is dross so you wouldn’t blame him for thinking fuck this nonsense.