## UFC 321: Night of Upsets in Abu Dhabi, Darn's First Title Win Sparks Controversy

UFC 321 held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi was an opening that disappointed fans' expectations. An unexpected foul called "eye poke" occurred during the heavyweight title fight, leading to an unprecedented ending where the championship bout was unable to continue.

## Main Event: Aspinall vs. Gane, Abrupt Ending

On Saturday night, the fight between champion Tom Aspinall and Cyrille Gane was interrupted in the dramatic moments near the end of the first round. Gane's continuous eye poke motions directly hit Aspinall's eyes, rendering the champion unable to continue the fight.

Gane had been dominant from the start. His precise jabs and straight punches caused swelling and nosebleeds around Aspinall's eyes, controlling the early part of the match. However, due to the eye poke foul, the fight was ended with no result. Aspinall appeared visibly upset after the match and faced boos from the audience.

Some fighter communities are questioning whether the eye poke was truly accidental. In any case, a rematch between the two champions is now an urgent priority.

## Darn Achieves Multiple Martial Arts Titles

Meanwhile, in the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship, Mackenzie Darn achieved a historic feat. She defeated Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47×2), claiming the vacant title.

Darn successfully defended against nine takedowns while also executing two takedowns herself, leading the striking battle. With this victory, she became the first woman to conquer the IBJFF World Championship, ADCC Gold Medal, and UFC title—all titles in different martial arts. Alongside Kela Harrison and Holly Holm, she is now recognized as a rare athlete to hold the highest honors across multiple fighting disciplines.

## UFC 321 Main Card Results

**UFC Heavyweight Title Fight:**
Tom Aspinall(c) vs. Cyrille Gane – No Contest due to fight being unable to continue

**UFC Strawweight Title Fight:**
Mackenzie Darn vs. Virna Jandiroba – New champion crowned via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47×2)

Other main card fights:
- Umar Nurmagomedov defeated Mario Bautista by unanimous decision (30-27×3)
- Alexander Volkov defeated Jairton Almeida by split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
- Azamat Murtzakhanov defeated Aleksandar Rakic by KO (punch) in the first round (Performance of the Night)

## UFC 321 Prelim Highlights

Kuilan Salkild delivered a dramatic first-round KO (head kick) against Nasrat Hakparast, earning Fight of the Night honors. Walter Walker secured a first-round submission victory over Louis Sutherland with a heel hook.

Other prelim fights:
- Ikram Aliskerov defeated Jun Yong Park by unanimous decision (30-27×3)
- Ludovit Klein defeated Mateusz Rebecki by majority decision (29-28, 28-27, 28-28)
- Nathaniel Wood defeated Jose Miguel Delgado by unanimous decision (29-28×3)
- Hamdi Abdelwahab defeated Chris Barnett by unanimous decision (29-26, 29-27, 29-27)
- Mitch Rappaso defeated Azat Maksum by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 29-27)
- Mizuki Inoue defeated Jacqueline Amorim by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)

## Future Outlook

UFC 321 concluded with two contrasting stories: the unfortunate foul of eye poke and Darn's historic victory. The next focus is on when Aspinall vs. Gane will be scheduled for a rematch in the UFC calendar. UFC 323, currently featuring 13 fights, is considered a likely event to include this title bout.