UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall faced criticism for stopping his fight with Ciryl Gane following an eye poke, sparking debate among fans and MMA experts.

After weeks of anticipation, UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall took to the Octagon on Saturday at UFC 321 in his

Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane ended disastrously, but at least the inconclusive ending sets the stage for an immediate rematch. For four-plus minutes, Gane overdelivered against the undisputed champ, but an errant eyepoke brought UFC 321's main event to an unceremonious end.

UFC 321 results, highlights: Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane deemed no-contest following brutal eye pokes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

MMA veteran defends Ciryl Gane after eye poke on Tom Aspinall at UFC 321, calling the incident pure human nature.

Tom Aspinall commanded the top payout of $42,000 at UFC 321 under the Promotional Guidelines Compliance program.

When undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Tom Aspinall stepped into the Octagon for UFC 321 on Saturday night to defend his title, he did so believing that there was a non-zero chance he could die.

SportsLine's Daniel Vithlani reveals his picks for the UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane fight card from Etihad Arena at Yas Island/Yas West, United Arab Emirates on Saturday