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Being a “good soldier” in the fighting world seems like a thankless task. You can fight for the world title On two weeks’ notice against one of the most dangerous giants on the planet. Serve as back-up fighter for A futile vanity battle involving one of the most problematic athletes in all of sportsdefend your interim title, when almost no one will be thereSit out for 15 months, wait for said problem athlete to decide whether or not to fight you, only for him to retiretake a look at that Leaves you deprived of your vision for four days – and counting – and sends you in and out of hospitals. And after all that, Your boss may accuse you of not wanting to fight,
When Cyril Gane’s middle knuckle met Tom Aspinall’s orbital boneIt was not part of the closed fist; This was part of a thorough examination, including a finger removal, under the UFC Heavyweight Champion’s eyelid and along his eyeball. Aspinall could not continue the fight – given the context this seems an obvious, even unnecessary statement. But that was the case, with Aspinall taking four and a half minutes in his first defense of the undisputed belt, prioritizing his eyesight, health and ability to care for his children, let alone fight in the future.
“I can’t make people fight,” UFC President Dana White said at the post-fight press conference in Abu Dhabi. “You can’t carry on if someone feels injured. [Gane] Tom was bleeding and Tom didn’t want to continue the fight. Only Tom knows what happened. Can he see? Couldn’t he see? Only he knows.”
White said the situation was “painful”, but he would book Aspinall vs. Gane again. He also praised Gane’s performance, which was certainly promising – except for the two eye pokes, the second of which was dual-directional, affecting both eyes.
It’s understandable that White’s comments were unsympathetic, as they were made while an emotional Aspinall, 32, was on his way to the hospital.
It’s also understandable that the 56-year-old White was disappointed that his program ended so disappointingly. But, of course, it doesn’t make much sense to justify his dismissal over an injury that continues to cause great concern to Aspinall, his father and head coach Andy and the Wigan fighter’s wider team.
Those who followed fight week closely may have noticed that White was fired up before Saturday’s main event even began. he said Aspinall ‘disgusted’ at claim he won’t fight his friendAnte Deliza, who recently entered the UFC’s heavyweight top 10.
Aspinall said ShxtsnGigs Podcast: “The thing is, if I never won a title, I’d say, ‘We’ve got to fight,’ because that’s my dream. But now that I’ve done it, I’d say: ‘I’ll vacate it, and he can take his time.’ I will not fight him. No chance. He is one of my true friends. There are some things for me that are more important than money and titles.”
“You know what I think about it, I hate it,” White told TNT Sports. “It’s not like that [matter] Whether you are someone’s friend or hate someone; You are competing with them to see who is the best. But it is his decision. Even thinking about voiding it because you don’t want to compete against someone is absolutely crazy, but he’s a grown man. It depends on him.”
As Aspinall himself notedAny potential fight with Deliza would be far from over anyway. Yet White appeared irritated, and may have even been incensed, by comments made by Andy Aspinall during fight week.
Footage emerged of a backstage conversation with RMC France, in which the elder Aspinall made clear his desire for Tom to end his UFC contract and switch to boxing – where greater paydays would await.
It’s a sentiment Andy has promoted beforeThis is not a new thing. Still, some questioned the timing of this latest statement, given that the UFC has been accused of failing to give fighters the final fights of their contracts on time. Some athletes wishing to fight elsewhere have found themselves stuck, waiting for their last UFC fight, only for it to be delayed indefinitely; The UFC has no obligation to rush things when a fighter has one fight left, and even Conor McGregor has been impressed by this model.
In any case, Andy is right Downplayed the idea that his comments during fight week affected his sonand tom seems satisfied Stay in MMA and build a strong legacy,
he has white paint on his hands a uniquely marketable athlete: an icon outside the cage, who unleashes horrific violence inside it, and who brings in valuable British audiences. Yet, in a strange sense, it feels like Aspinall’s UFC future may be balancing on a knife’s edge. Again, this says less about the way the heavyweight champion does business and more about White.