Demetrious Johnson advises fans to accept eye pokes as a part of MMA.
Tom Aspinall’s first heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a disappointing no contest at UFC 321 due to an eye poke. A double eye poke from Gane late in the first round left Aspinall unable to continue. Gane is receiving a lot of flak from fans due to the anticlimactic end to a much-awaited matchup.
However, Johnson defended Gane, claiming it is a natural human reaction to extend one’s hands when attacked. Johnson also noted that the way Gane’s hands were extended is actually the correct technique to throw kicks in Muay Thai.