Hello and welcome back to Sports Power. Today, the UFC world is absolutely heating up and two major controversies are exploding at the same time involving Conor McGregor, Patty Pimpblelet, Dana White, and Tom Aspenol. Here's what's going on.
The UFC world feels like it's splitting at the seams right now. And two completely different controversies are colliding at the worst possible time. One involving Conor McGregor and Patty Pimpblelet, and the other involving Dana White and Tom Aspenol.
A situation that's quietly turning ugly behind the scene. A lot of people are talking about Tom, but he apparently still can't see. Here's the thing.
The other eye got hurt as well, but not as bad, but it looks way worse. The finger goes way deeper in the other eye. And you know, it's crazy that everyone that talks the most has never been poked in the eye.
Not even a little bit. Like accidentally. Oh, it's horrible.
The idea that you can't see and then you're supposed to fight a guy, it should be an instant onepoint deduction. Do you have any updates about the eye of Tom Aspenol? And is there a rematch in the works?
Oh, Jesus. Don't let me talk about Tom Aspenol's eye. Uh, apparently he just he's going in for a second surgery or just had it or and by surgery I mean injections.
I have no idea. Thank you, sir. Get a quote from him.
God [ __ ] forbid I say something about it. Go ahead. Do you have any updates about the eye of Tom Aspenol?
And is there a rematch in the works? Oh Jesus. Don't let me talk about Tom Aspenol's eye.
Uh, apparently he just he's going in for a second surgery or just had it or and by surgery I mean injections. I have no idea. You had a quote from him.
God forbid I say something about it. Go ahead. Dana Jeez.
How How close did you think you were to Here's your quote. Catching strays, aren't I? Catching strays in my own living room on a Sunday morning.
[laughter] Let's start with the one nobody expected to heat up again. Because the idea of Conor McGregor versus Patty Pimpblelet is suddenly back in the conversation, not just as a fantasy fight. For years, there's been this strange unresolved tension between the two.
Rumors of heated exchanges, stories of Connor allegedly driving to confront Patty during earlier disputes. Is that common knowledge that that Conor Heal [ __ ] about Conor McGregor and then Conor McGregor drove around to his house? He drove around to his house and he sat outside in his car calling the bloke and Patty refused to come outside.
That tells you all you need to know about a guy. Oh yeah, he probably said he put a bet on Chandler by knockout. What now Connor?
Hey, should have mentioned him in the cage. You little lizard. Thought thought you would have backed your own, lads.
You know what I mean? Irish and scout. Thought you would have backed your own.
If you're coming back, lads, let's do it. Wembley Park. I'll move to you as well.
Yeah. I'm back to 91. You're a Bel.
Hey, I've got new teeth as well. [laughter] stress cuz people love you for your honesty and your no ho's bad and you just say it how it is because guys like Jake Paul and stuff you call him a sausage and then he's replying like he's just a two lad don't even like talking about them idiots you know do you [clears throat] know what I mean like what about what's the story with Conor McGregor was at your house one day that's lad that was what the story was meant to be like but like at the time at the time I was out all the time myself I just lost a few weeks before actually and I was still just in a mad place just wanting to go out and get absolutely slosh and think about it and um he was meant to he was meant to be outside our llad but I got me m to check the cameras cuz obviously if McGregor is at your door you're video and that aren't you and banging it all over the internet and getting pure views and um he wasn't he must have been at someone else's he was with someone who was in the city at the time and I remember that lad bumping into me in Glas going we had the big fell at your door I was like lad you ever. He's like, "No, we did.
We did. " I was like, "Lad, you never I promise you [music] because me man's got cameras. " Oh, we did.
We did. Was like, "Well, you were at the wrong door. " You know what I mean?
I'm gutted. I wish I was in. I wish I was there and like they were that man would be like, "What is happening?
What's going on? What was that? " I don't know.
And that underlying sense that [music] Connor has never fully respected Patty's rise. It's never exploded publicly, but it's always been there. Now add the White House UFC card into the mix.
Suddenly, people are whispering about a crossover moment. A spectacle fight, a headline grabbing clash where Connor gets one last massive spotlight, and Patty becomes the perfect lightning rod. Loud, brash, fearless, and completely unafraid to talk back.
The contrast sells itself. Some insiders [music] believe Connor sees Patty as disrespectful to the old guard. Others think Connor views him as an easy target, a mouthy star built more on hype than danger.
But, as I say, anyone can get it. All the names I mentioned and even McGregor but we want Chandler to win that like the Irish Scout connection that he's meant to back me and he never so if he wants it he'll get mine as well. That surprised you.
Yeah. I didn't think he'd go against me. Like to be honest I thought he'd back me lad back Chandler for one of them in it.
I saw the other day you and Connor had a little tweet back and forth how much you were able to reveal about what you guys were talking about, but what exactly were you guys? Well, when he was in Liverpool back in 2017, he was supposedly outside my house. I don't know if he was outside wanting me to come and party with them or looking to fight, but [music] he was meant but he was meant to be outside my house in the middle of the night.
But he must have been at the wrong house, lad. Cuz my mama has CCTV, lad. Obviously, if he was outside my house, that was getting videoed and put all over me Instagram.
McGregor was looking for the body. You know who the boy is? You know what I mean?
But um yeah, I wish he would have knocked on lad because at the time then I was out partying all the time and I would have been partying with him. Um this doesn't feel like it's part of your trajectory at all, but people are now speculating on who could fight Conor McGregor after they ruled out Michael Chandler and uh obviously you just beat Michael Chandler. Is that a fight that would appeal to you at all if it came around even though it doesn't really make sense from where you're heading right now?
Does it make sense? Like, but you'd be an idiot to say no to fighting Conor McGregor, wouldn't you? Let's be honest.
Everyone knows that. That's the biggest money fight that you can get in this. But fish for the White House card is Conor McGregor, right?
That's the big dog. That's the big draw. It's about to get really interesting with Conor McGregor in the UFC.
If he is involved, I could see a scenario where it's him versus Patty. If it's not Chandler, I think it should be Chandler number one. If it's not Chandler, Patty's probably number two at this point.
And then Gachi fights Ilia and Armen's gonna have to fight someone else because they just don't seem to be huge fans of his. I've kind of fallen on that as far as how I think this is all gonna play out, but of course it can twist and turn a million different ways between [music] now and then. Do you agree that of the realistic options, Patty's probably the biggest?
Patty's a big time draw. Dana White said afterwards that this exceeded expectations by double, but I feel like of the realistic options and of the potential winnable options, Patty's probably the best one. Again, I feel like it should be Michael Chandler.
I think the way Michael Chandler has been dismissed, I went on the whole rant on Thursday. I'm not going to do it again. Patty is probably the best option.
And the fact that he didn't win that fight, the fact that he's not a champion as opposed to Justin Gatey, I actually feel like increases his chances of getting even in this loss, I think is a victory. You think I wanted to be walking away with that belt, Joe. I know how tough I am anyway.
I don't need to prove it to anyone. I wanted to leave with that belt, but there's no other man I'd rather lose to than the highlight. What do you make of this this fight?
Patty Pimpling and Justin Gatei. I believe I believe Justin Gi. You think Gachi is going to beat him?
Yeah. You don't think Patty's very good? He's just tough, but not technical.
He's wild. Wild wild. But you know, Gi, he's uh if he's in good shape, he's going to be calm first two rounds.
And he takes he he knows he's he has a lot of experience. [music] See, he beats two times phys. How?
Striking too. Yeah, first first [music] round he gives a lot of like a kicks kicks and no he let kick him he he let like do a lot of things on him but second round third round and he's starting like pick it up yeah [music] and the same is going to be here I think and I believe like Justin Gage is going to be going to beat him by KO or by by by decision sorry but the truth is Patty represents something Connor no longer is momentum and that's why the MMA community can't stop talking about it because if Connor needs a moment, a statement, a controlled return on a massive stage like the White House card, Patty Pimpblelet makes sense. Not because it's the hardest fight, but because it's the loudest.
A UFC is coming to the White House. Are you Are you excited about this? Or I mean I mean, have you thought?
I mean, it's a pretty cool. I'm ecstatic. The Mack is back.
And what better event than to grace the White House lawn for a straighter what I do best? I'm very, very excited, very eager, very motivated. Bring it on, baby.
Do you think that's when you would maybe come back? you. I mean, what about come back for you as far as fighting?
I'm very happy that it's June. It was on in July. Now it's a month earlier.
Even better. Bring it to April. Why not?
Let's celebrate the birthday early. I celebrate my birthday months in advance. So, we could we could potentially see maybe possibly White House Conor McGregor.
That's a definitely That's a definitely for sure. That's my event. That is your That is I am this.
This is me. Michael Chandler. Michael Chandler and myself have done the show, The Ultimate Fighter.
We've had a good back and forth. He's a good tough guy and you know the Mac is excited to get back for sure. Connor says it's coming back.
He's in the pool. He's doing his thing. All kinds of footage of him training.
You know, he wants to fight on this White House card. We're going to be on the [ __ ] south lawn of the White House. The fighters are going to walk out of the Oval Office.
I need people that I can seriously rely on for this one. Connor is a guy that has fought injured. He doesn't care.
Polling saying he's going to crush the election. So, they're doing everything they can to try to keep him off the ballot. Conor McGregor at the White House.
It's over, bro. It's It's over for him. It's over, dog.
He made too much money, huh? He made way too much. He went from plumbing to making He sold that liquor for what?
500 million. It's too much, right? He got 100 million for fighting Floyd.
Then he was doing pay-per-views like nothing. Tim Kabib did two and a half million pay-per-views. These he made too much money.
Meanwhile, something far more serious is brewing elsewhere. While fans argue over fantasy fights, Tom Aspenol is quietly growing frustrated. And this situation with Dana White is starting to feel personal.
After months of injury speculation, I poke controversy and whispers that his situation is being exaggerated or dismissed. Aspenol has made it clear behind closed doors that he's not happy. And just for everyone wants to know as well, obviously uh you've been pretty clear in what you've said.
Back to Sirill, but surgery now is the focus and then we'll uh we'll kick on to 2026, right? That's the plan. That's the plan.
But by the time this is going out, uh they probably have had one surgery on one side already. Uh next surgery's coming mid January. [music] So we're working towards getting back and uh that's the plan.
It was really bad how it looks and he said you you can't train your eyeball to be stronger. It is what it is. Protection here and here, but he obviously got no protection [music] because the fingers were straight in.
The fight should have been stopped. He couldn't [music] see. It was a foul.
He couldn't see. then you can't fight. You know, if it had [music] got knocked out with the head, kick next and it would have been worse.
I don't know. And then he said sometimes when your eyes here like that, it can become displaced and stay there. And they did a few tests on that and they said it doesn't seem like that.
And his vision on the eye that's the best eye. His eye wasn't following properly. So the muscles weren't working strong enough to go this way.
This one just wasn't working that good at all. So, we've got to have additional tests further this week and Moyes is sorting the tests out for us and he's got to have a CT scan. Um, that is your heavyweight champion.
That is one of the best and most popular fighters in the world. And the reaction is, jeez, don't let me say anything about him. Last I heard, he had a couple surgeries.
Well, injections like the the whole thing felt dismissive. The whole thing felt like he doesn't really believe it. If I'm being 100% if I am to read his body language and he will a thousand% say that felt very dismissive.
That felt like someone who didn't believe that his heavyweight champion was actually going through something. Anyone feel otherwise? No, it was it was exactly that.
It was. And by surgeries, I mean injections. That that's like a direct shot at him.
Yes. Oh, God forbid I say something. Yeah.
No, that's like flipping. It was just if I'm Tom Aspenol sitting there, I'm like, man, what did I do to this guy? All I've done is stepped up to the plate and and I got poked in the freaking eye.
And you think I want to get injections for fun? Do you think Tom Asperol is injections or not, surgery or not? Do you think he's doing this for fun?
And and the world has no idea how much his life has changed as a result of all of this. Do you think he is doing this for fun? Do you think he's doing this to prove a point to all of you who thought he was faking?
It's absurd to me. He could have easily answered that question like to be honest, he's just working through things. Uh hopeful he'll be back, wishing him the best.
We'll be here when he's ready to come back. Like what? Why did it have to be that?
The guy that's currently ranked number 10 [music] is his friend Auntie Elijah. And he would vacate the title if Elijah [music] got to a point where he was going to fight for the title. I hate that.
You know, Tom saying, "I'd vacate if he fought. " It's It's even [music] silly to talk about that when a guy's ranked at number. The tone from the UFC has shifted.
The empathy has disappeared, and the messaging around his injury has felt dismissive at best, disrespectful at worst. Tom Aspenol has been nothing but professional, short notice fights, backup rolls, carrying the heavyweight division, while others stalled. And now, when he's legitimately injured, the narrative feels like it's being turned against him.
That's where the tension lies. A lot of people are talking about Tom, but he apparently still can't see. Here's the thing.
The other eye got hurt as well, but not as bad, but it looks way worse. The finger goes way deeper in the other eye. And you know, it's crazy that everyone that talks the most has [music] never been poked in the eye.
Not even a little bit, like accidentally. Oh, it's horrible. The idea that you can't see and then you're supposed to fight a guy, it should be an instant onepoint deduction.
Do you have any updates about the eye of Tom Aspenol? And is there a rematch in the works? Oh, Jesus.
Don't let me talk about Tom Aspenol's eye. Uh, apparently he just he's going in for a second surgery or just had it or and by surgery I mean injections. I have no idea.
Get a quote from him. God [ __ ] forbid I say something about it. Go ahead.
Do you have any updates about the eye of Tom Aspenol? And is there a rematch in the works? Oh Jesus.
Don't let me talk about Tom Aspenol's eye. Uh, apparently he just he's going in for a second surgery or just had it or and by surgery I mean injections. I have no idea.
You had a quote from him. God forbid I say something about it. Go ahead.
Dana Jeez. How how close did you think you were to Here's your quote. Catching strays, aren't I?
Catching strays in my own living room on a Sunday morning. Being quietly framed as unreliable. being spoken about like an inconvenience and worst of all being made to feel like the UFC would rather move on than stand by him and fans are noticing.
You can feel the mood shifting. People are asking why one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world is suddenly being treated like a problem instead of an asset. Why the injury talk feels dismissive.
Why patience is being demanded from Tom but not returned. The irony is impossible to ignore. On one side, the UFC is entertaining spectacle fights and massive personalities for major cards.
On the other, a legitimate champion caliber fighter is being left in limbo while his credibility slowly erodess in public conversation. Wouldn't it be interesting if Tom came out and said, "No, I'm not going to rematch him. He's a cheater.
Why would I rematch a guy that already cheated, that violated not one of my eyes, but both? I gave him his chance. He chose to cheat and I'm going to move on.
" If Tom took that stance, which he's not going to do, I'm saying, but for fun. Yeah, I think he'd have a lot of people that supported him. For some reason, Surreal has come out of this thing with his hands clean.
He's the one that did the poking. They've got to do something about these eye pokes. The rule is you you got to have your hands like this, but you can still have your fingers out straight.
You can't do that. You can do that. That's the stupidest rule I've ever seen in my life.
Make a fist. Simple as that. You're throwing punches and yeah, you got to parry shots, but you just got to unbend your fingers.
It's really not that hard. This is a stupid rule. Only Tom knows what happened.
Could he see? Couldn't he see? Could he continue?
I can't make people fight if they feel they've been injured. After the Jones fight, a lot of people wrote serial gone off. He looked damn good tonight.
I mean, he had Tom bloodied up and Tom didn't want to continue in the fight. The rematch is very interesting. You think about Ana White saying Tom didn't continue.
Tom didn't didn't want to continue in the fight. though. And then also, who [snorts] gives a to eye pokes?
Who gives a Well, listen, I didn't continue. I'll tell you why I didn't continue. Cuz I'm not a dummy.
Like, I'm not going to go out there and fight one of the best strikers in the world if I can't see. I know as an MMA fighter. Look, things are going to happen in the fight that compromise you.
Go back and watch my fight with Arloski. The end of the first round, he punched me right in the eyeball. Final 20 seconds of the first round.
Oh, big fight from Arloski. [laughter] for the rest of that fight. I couldn't see him out the eye.
That's fine. If you get punched or kicked in the eye, that's [music] fine. If you get double eye poked in both eyes and you got no vision because of a foul, why should I carry on?
So, some dummy can look and say, "Oh, yeah, Tom just got knocked out. " Because I ain't going to fight if I can't see anything because of a foul. So, they've announced this White House uh UFC fight.
Can we expect to see you on the card? Uh I can't promise anyone anything, but I have very strong feeling that I'll be on that part. I think it's going to be historic.
But who who who would you take on? Who would be your dream opponent? I would want to take on a hole in the belt at the end of the year.
Any possible names you think? Well, no. I mean, as of right now, the champion is Tom Asen, but we'll see who's the champion at the end of the year.
The only thing to have a American Knight fight for the championship tonight. I'd be willing to put it all on the line. Nice.
Two stories, same pattern. The UFC chasing momentum while risking loyalty. Conor McGregor versus Patty Pimpblelet represents chaos, headlines, and attention.
Dana White versus Tom Aspenol represents control, power, and frustration. And when you put those two stigmas together, one thing becomes clear. The UFC isn't just managing fights right now.
It's managing perception. Yeah, but I think because uh remember he said something before, remember after it was [ __ ] up, Dana, after the fight, remember he was like he was Yeah. Say putting it down like he didn't want to fight or something like like he didn't want to fight.
Like B said he quit, you know, and then Tom's like, "What the [ __ ] dude? " So then now and Dana got a bunch of backlash from that. So Dana's like, "Dude, I don't know.
I'm not saying [ __ ] cuz I got so much [ __ ] last time. " It was weird. He's like, "I guess having surgery.
By surgery, I mean injections. " [laughter] Yeah, that's kind of the [ __ ] I'm with Tom. Like what the [ __ ] Yeah.
Hold on. Hold on. Do Hey, Dana.
Anybody? Do you think Tom doesn't actually have a [ __ ] eye in Let me get this straight. You think Tom Asenol is babying this or making this?
You know how stupid that sounds? You think Tom's just wearing glasses and going through all this trouble for the [ __ ] of it? Literally the best heavyweight on the roster.
Yeah. You think Tom doesn't want to get back in there and fight? Make money.
Make money. Get an actual title. Not this intern [ __ ] You think Tom Asenol's scared of Sir Gan?
Do you know what the [ __ ] Tom's going to do once his eyes get right? You know what the [ __ ] that guy's gonna do to Sir Gan? Anybody want to bet on it?
You know the amount of pain that dude's going to put on Sir Gone? No, but Sir Gan was doing good in that 4 minutes that we saw him. Are you out your [ __ ] mind?
The question is how long fighters like Aspenol tolerate that treatment and whether stars like Patty end up becoming part of something much bigger than they ever expected. Because right now the UFC doesn't feel stable.
