Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has spoken out in defense of heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane, arguing that the fighter is being falsely accused of cheating following a series of controversial moments in the Octagon.
The Eye Poke Controversy Involving Tom Aspinall
Gane inadvertently poked Tom Aspinall in the eyes during their title fight at UFC 321 last October. The incident resulted in multiple eye surgeries for the British fighter, who ultimately opted to vacate his belt after failing to receive medical clearance for competition. That decision led to Gane being promoted to undisputed champion.
Discussing the situation with fellow former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw on his “Love & War” podcast, Cruz argued that fighters must also take accountability for defending themselves against such strikes. Cruz stated that he experienced very few eye pokes or groin shots during his own career, maintaining that getting hit in the eye points to a defensive failure on the recipient’s part.
“This is my take on Ciryl Gane poking eyes: I haven’t had a lot of eye pokes in my career. I haven’t had a lot of groin shots in my career,” Cruz said on his podcast. “I always said if you can poke me in my f*cking eyes, I’m doing something wrong. You can punch me in my head. Trying to hit my head is so f*cking hard. If you could poke me in the eye, that’s my problem. So we (Dillashaw) agree on that, and I think that’s why he’s not a cheater.”
Back-of-the-Head Strikes Against Alex Pereira
Gane also faced intense criticism for his technical knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250. Pereira claimed that Gane landed numerous illegal strikes to the back of the head during the fight-ending sequence, and directed heavy criticism at referee Herb Dean.
Dillashaw came to Gane’s defense regarding the Pereira bout, suggesting that the backlash was magnified by Pereira’s massive fan base and pointing out that moving targets make accidental illegal blows difficult to avoid. He also expressed sympathy for Dean amid the heavy crowd backlash.
“I don’t think he is (a cheater),” Dillashaw said. “It’s gotten blown out of the water since the Pereira fight. 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 (Gane is) a purposeful cheater at all.”
