UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has publicly cast doubt on the severity of Tom Aspinall`s eye injury. The injury occurred during Aspinall`s recent bout when Ciryl Gane accidentally poked him in the eye, leading to a stoppage.
Sterling did not hold back his reservations, stating, “You all might assume I`d be on Tom`s side, but that`s simply not the case here. I have a multitude of questions.” He further elaborated on his skepticism, noting, “Based on the footage that emerged after the fight, he appeared to be perfectly fine.”
Sterling highlighted Aspinall`s immediate reaction during the fight: “Aspinall was seemingly losing this fight, and then he instantly declared, `I can`t see anything.`”
He criticized this statement, explaining its critical implications in combat sports. “You absolutely cannot say those words. We all understand that such a declaration is effectively the nail in the coffin for any fight. If your intention is to utilize the full five minutes of recovery time to attempt to continue, those are not the words you should utter.”
Sterling concluded by expressing his genuine uncertainty regarding the extent of Aspinall`s pain, pondering, “It honestly makes me seriously question whether the pain was truly as intense as he claimed.”
