Joe Rogan Has Simple Solution for UFC Eye Pokes After Tom Aspinall Controversy
Joe Rogan has provided a simple solution to prevent eye pokes in the UFC amid the controversy surrounding Tom Aspinall's fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.
Aspinall's first defence of his undisputed heavyweight title lasted just one round after Gane accidentally poked him in the eye.
The incident left the Briton unable to see and, after just four minutes and 35 seconds, the fight was declared a no contest.
The verdict came because the referee deemed the foul accidental. Had it been ruled intentional, Gane would have been disqualified.
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A disappointed Aspinall voiced his frustration to the crowd at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, who were left disappointed by the premature ending.
He said: "Guys, I just got poked knuckle deep in the eyeball. Why are you booing? I can't see.
"The fight was just getting going. I can hardly open my eye. Look! It was a double eye poke."
Rogan, a colour commentator for the UFC, has previously highlighted the issue of accidental eye pokes in the sport.
On his podcast the Joe Rogan Experience, he said: “I keep saying it, but I feel they should cover those fingertips.
“You’ve got to cover the fingers. There’s no reason to not cover the fingers like a bad glove.
"Just have a piece of leather that goes over the fingertips, so you have one thing. It’s not gonna invade your grappling, and it’s not gonna change your striking.
"It’s not going to change anything."
The 58-year-old added: “This way, at least if you get poked in the eye you are getting a blunt thing, you are not getting something that goes into your eyeball.
“Have them all covered and have a soft-foamed ridge over the top of it.
"So even if you are getting poked in the eyes, you are not getting an individual thing going deep into your eyeball with an eyeball, which is what you get now."
After the fight, Aspinall was taken to hospital to be assessed, meaning he missed the post-match press conference.
Meanwhile, the early ending also left Gane frustrated.
"I feel sorry," said the Frenchman.
"I'm sorry for the crowd, for the fans, I'm sorry for Tom Aspinall and sorry for myself.
"We put a lot of energy in this fight so I'm disappointed, but this is the sport, this is life.
"I don't know what is going to happen for the future, but we will see."
UFC president Dana White suggested that there would be a rematch, but fans may have to wait until next year to see it.
Topics: Dana White, Joe Rogan, MMA, Tom Aspinall, UFC
James Taylor