Dana White clarifies controversy with Tom Aspinall and downplays friction in the UFC.

Aspinall backstage at the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/tomaspinallofficial

Recently, Tom Aspinall made headlines. Annoyed by receiving a double eye poke from Ciryl Gane during their fight in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in October, and criticized by fans for withdrawing from the fight, the UFC heavyweight champion (up to 120,2 kg) defended himself by fighting back against the haters, attacking his rival, and even Dana White wasn't spared. Now, it was the league president's turn to address the situation.

Last Saturday (6), at the post-UFC 323 press conference, Dana clarified the controversy and guaranteed that there is no problem between him and Aspinall. It is worth noting that, in his outburst, the Englishman openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the executive, after the latter questioned his eye problem.

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Furthermore, the athlete revealed that the UFC president never contacted him to inquire about his current condition and that he has no relationship with him. Aware of the champion's irritation, Dana defended the claim that it was all a misunderstanding and wished him a speedy recovery.

“I didn’t speak to him. Yes, I understand. I’m not a doctor. I said, ‘I think his eyes are okay. He’ll need some time to recover and get back to fighting.’ That was all. I wasn’t saying anything negative about him. I think things can be taken out of context, or he may not have seen what I said, because I don’t even remember what I said. But at no point did I say anything negative or derogatory about him. I’m sure he’s upset and angry, but he’ll get better and we’ll bring him back,” said the official, who added.

“I don’t remember exactly what I said. I know Aspinall said I didn’t speak to him and all that, but there are people taking care of him all the time, checking on him to make sure he’s okay. Does he need any help or a specialist?” he concluded.

Recommendations for Tom Aspinall

Following his fight against Ciryl Gane in the UFC, Tom Aspinall was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown's syndrome, indicating a significant tear of the superior oblique muscle's trochlear tendon complex. The syndrome is a condition that restricts eye movement.

Still suffering, the Englishman cannot drive until the refraction and symptoms are stabilized, nor fight until the diplopia (double vision) is completely resolved. Depending on the clinical evolution, periocular steroid injections or surgical intervention to treat persistent motor dysfunction may be necessary if the symptoms do not resolve.

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