When it comes to controversial rules and enforcement in MMA, fingers to the eye are never far from the top of the list.
In the wake of back-to-back Ultimate Fighting Championship events in which key bouts hinged on severe eye pokes, the perennial issue is back at the forefront of fans’ minds. Two weeks ago at UFC 321, the heavyweight title fight headliner ended in the first round when a double eye poke from challenger Ciryl Gane left champ Tom Aspinall unable to continue.
An even more dramatic chain of events unfolded on the co-main event of UFC Vegas 110 on Saturday: Aspinall’s teammate Ante Delija unleashed a flurry of punches on Waldo Cortes-Acosta in the very first round, forcing referee Mark Smith to intervene, resulting in an apparent TKO win for Delija.