UFC 327: Curtis Blaydes ‘rooting’ for Tom Aspinall return after eye surgery

Curtis Blaydes says he’s “rooting” for former opponent Tom Aspinall to return to the UFC after Briton underwent surgery on each eyes earlier this yr.

Heavyweight champion Aspinall has not fought since October, the place his struggle with Ciryl Gane was deemed a no-contest when he couldn’t proceed after struggling repeated eye pokes from the Frenchman.

The eye pokes, which Gane says have been unintended, left Aspinall coping with double imaginative and prescient, black spots and vertigo.

The 32-year-old had surgery to correct his symptoms, and though he has since returned to mild coaching, he has not given a timeframe for when he will probably be match to struggle once more.

American Blaydes, who fights Josh Hokit at UFC 327 in Miami, Florida on Saturday, beat Aspinall in 2022 earlier than dropping a rematch between the pair two years later.

“I hope Aspinall comes back. I’d hate to see a great athlete lose their position because of injury,” mentioned Blaydes.

“I’m rooting. I hope the eye rehab is going well. Right now it’s just a lot of speculation, but I’m hopeful for him.”