Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane eye poke controversy sees action taken as UFC referees to make change

MMA referee Herb Dean has revealed that there will be stricter enforcement of rules around eye pokes.

Tom Aspinall was victim of a horrific-looking double eye poke when he shared the Octagon with Ciryl Gane on October 25.

Their contest at UFC 321 ended prematurely as Aspinall was unable to see out of one eye and was rushed to a nearby hospital in Abu Dhabi.

Upon his initial medical assessment, the Mancunian was told that he would need to undergo further testing in England before being given the all-clear to fight again.

In light of Aspinall's nasty injury, veteran referee Dean has confirmed that any eye poke will now be deemed a foul in any UFC fight moving forward.

Should those rules have been in place for Gane, he would have faced an immediate point deduction for the foul.

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