Cruz, Dillashaw Defend Ciryl Gane Over Eye Poke History

Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw say Ciryl Gane should not be blamed for the string of eye pokes that have marked his UFC heavyweight title reign, including the one that opened a career-altering injury for Tom Aspinall at UFC 321.

The two former UFC champions, who fought each other for the bantamweight title in 2016, discussed Gane's fouls during a conversation on Cruz's YouTube show. Cruz argued that fighters who get poked in the eye bear some responsibility for being in range in the first place.

"This is my take on Ciryl Gane poking eyes," Cruz said. "I haven't had a lot of eye pokes in my career. I haven't had a lot of groin shots in my career. I always said if you can poke me in my fing eyes, I'm doing something wrong. You can punch me in my head. Trying to hit my head is so fing hard. If you could poke me in the eye, that's my problem."

Dillashaw agreed and pushed back on the idea that Gane has been intentionally fouling opponents, pointing to the backlash Gane drew for clipping Alex Pereira with strikes to the back of the head at the UFC White House card.

"It's gotten blown out of the water since the Pereira fight," Dillashaw said. "Obviously everyone is a Pereira fan. They want him to win, and they want to call the illegal blows. It's like, he wasn't going for it on purpose, and Pereira's moving his head as he's hitting him. I think Herb Dean is unfortunately catching a lot of flack, as well. It's so crazy to go to a fight and everyone boo Herb Dean. I feel bad for the guy. I don't think he's a purposeful cheater at all."

Why Gane's Foul History Keeps Coming Up

Ciryl Gane's reputation for fouls has followed him through multiple high-profile fights, most notably the eye poke on Tom Aspinall at UFC 321 that has impacted Aspinall's career and the strikes to the back of Alex Pereira's head during the UFC White House card. Those incidents have fueled growing criticism of how referees, including Herb Dean, handle repeated fouls before issuing serious penalties. Cruz and Dillashaw's comments mark a notable defense of Gane from two fighters who know championship-level scrutiny firsthand.

What It Means For Gane's Standing In The Heavyweight Division

As long as Gane holds the UFC heavyweight title, every foul controversy will shadow how oddsmakers and fans view his next fight. A rematch with Tom Aspinall remains the most natural direction for the heavyweight division, and any future pairing would likely see sportsbooks and bettors factoring in foul risk, potential point deductions, and the possibility of a no-contest or disqualification scenario affecting prop markets. Fighters with a pattern of eye pokes or accidental illegal strikes tend to draw more attention to method-of-victory and fight-to-go-the-distance markets, since officials may be quicker to deduct points or stop action if fouls repeat. Until Gane's next outing is official, that dynamic remains directional rather than tied to any posted line, but it is the kind of detail sharp bettors track closely once a heavyweight title fight is booked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw say about Ciryl Gane?

Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw said Ciryl Gane should not be blamed for his history of eye pokes, with Cruz arguing fighters are partly responsible if they get poked in the eye and Dillashaw saying he does not believe Gane fouls opponents on purpose.

Did Ciryl Gane poke Tom Aspinall in the eye?

Yes, Ciryl Gane poked Tom Aspinall in the eye during their UFC 321 heavyweight title fight, an incident that has affected Aspinall's career.

What happened between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira?

Ciryl Gane landed strikes to the back of Alex Pereira's head during their fight on the UFC White House card, drawing criticism and scrutiny of referee Herb Dean.