Henry Cejudo Demands Urgent Action on Eye Pokes in UFC

Las Vegas, Nevada – Henry Cejudo is advocating for immediate changes in UFC regulations regarding eye pokes as he prepares for his last fight at UFC 323 on December 6. Cejudo, a former two-division champion, faces Payton Talbott in what marks his return to the octagon after losing to Song Yadong due to an eye poke in February.

The fight at UFC Seattle ended controversially when a double eye poke from Yadong led to a technical decision. Cejudo expressed his frustration at a media scrum on December 3, insisting that there must be stricter enforcement of rules governing eye pokes. “Dana White, the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the referees, and just make a f*cking decision, man,” he said. “That’s bullshit.”

Cejudo highlighted several fights this year where eye pokes halted competition prematurely, pointing out the physical and career-altering consequences some fighters face. He referred to notable cases, such as the incident involving Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, where Aspinall suffered long-term injuries from an eye poke.

The former champion stressed that current measures are insufficient and called for accountability among fighters and officials. “Dude, somebody could lose an eye,” Cejudo warned. He cited the example of Michael Bisping, whose eye was permanently damaged during his career. “There are a lot of people that have eye issues that you guys don’t even know about.”

During his comments, Cejudo mentioned that new glove designs would not adequately address the problem. Instead, he believes automatic point deductions for eye pokes would be a more effective deterrent. “Anything that has to do with eye pokes should automatically be a point deducted,” he said. “Keep your hands closed.”

Cejudo concluded by urging everyone involved in the sport to take the issue seriously and implement immediate changes to protect fighters. “It starts here, and I think it needs to be immediate,” he said. “If not, people need to be held accountable.”