Veteran fighter Michael Jim Miller has sharply criticised what he calls a culture of tolerance around eye pokes in MMA, citing the recent UFC 321 title fight as a glaring reminder of the issue.

In the main event of UFC 321, champion Tom Aspinall was unable to continue after suffering a double eye-poke from challenger Ciryl Gane in the opening round, resulting in a no-contest verdict.

Miller said the sport’s response so far is unacceptable and flagged the lack of accountability among fighters and officials. “If only humans could control their fingers, then these accidents wouldn’t keep happening… I’ve been poked twice in fights, and both caused permanent damage to my vision,” said Miller, according to Lowkick MMA. He added that the fault lies not with glove design but with fighters’ behaviour and the systems that fail to penalise them.

“Eye gouging, eye poking, is a foul. … The only way we’re going to stop this thing is if the fighters that are committing the foul actually end up getting punished for the foul,” said Miller.

Miller also drew attention to how the victim often bears the reputational cost of a poke. “The person who was poked in the eye is always the bad guy for not choosing to continue,” he said, according to the source. He argued that the sport routinely penalises the wrong person and spares the rule-breaker without consequence.

Looking ahead, Miller urged for immediate changes including automatic point deductions and financial penalties for eye pokes, suggesting that would shift fighter behaviour quickly. Without these changes, he warned, the integrity and safety of MMA remain at risk.

The incident at UFC 321 has reignited broader debate about officiating and fighter safety in the sport. As commissions and promotions weigh their next moves, Miller’s remarks underscore the urgency of the issue and point to a moment of reckoning for MMA’s handling of fouls.