Tom Aspinall's Dad Responds to Dana White Remarks After UFC 321 Eye Injury

Tom Aspinall's father has responded to Dana White after the UFC President's comments on his son following UFC 321.

Aspinall was poked in both eyes by main event opponent Ciryl Gane, who was challenging for his UFC Heavyweight Championship, during the first round.

The match was waved off as a no contest as Aspinall was unable to continue.

The 32-year-old was taken to hospital for initial tests, where he reported significant discomfort particularly with bright lights, as well as severe blurred vision.

Aspinall returned to the UK on Monday for further examinations, with his father Andy confirming on Tuesday that he currently has '50 per cent' vision in his left eye, which had been least affected.

The status of his right eye is even more concerning, with Aspinall senior explaining: "His right eye, he still can't see anything. He said it's just grey. They tested him on words, he just couldn't see anything."

Aspinall's father responds to Dana White comments

Many UFC fans were taken aback by White's comments in his traditional post-event press conference on Saturday night.

The 56-year-old was asked by a reporter to answer what it would take for an eye poke to be deemed as intentional, and whether that could ever be proven.

White sat back in his chair before replying: "Who the f**k knows? Who gives a s**t?"

A post from White's Twitter account all the way back in 2015 was later uncovered, in which the UFC president said officials can stop eye pokes altogether with one simple action.

He told a fan: "The refs have to start giving one warning then take a point, believe me eye pokes will stop then."

Image: Twitter/@danawhite

A decade on, Aspinall's father addressed White's stance on eye pokes - and pulled no punches with his answer.

"It's an issue if the UFC wants it to be an issue," he stated. "There's nothing we can do about it. But this has highlighted, at a high level in the sport, that this is dangerous.

"If they want to do something about it, they should. If they care about people, they should.

"And it's back to, everybody has opinions. Everybody needs money as well.

"I don't have to say what I say, or do what I do, to report back to shareholders, to make money for a company. I do this because it's a sport, I want to do it with my son, I want to spend time with my kids.

"The other people are doing it to report back to shareholders at the highest level, as part of a company. Then they're doing it, most of the people online, are doing it - the analysts, ex-fighters, YouTube makers - are doing it because they make a video, and then that video makes them money. It's about money.

"They're entitled to their opinion. But I don't read it, and I don't care about it."