Dominick Cruz, T.J. Dillashaw Defend Ciryl Gane From 'Cheater' Label

Ciryl Gane was recently elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion status while Tom Aspinall remains sidelined following multiple eye surgeries. Aspinall's injury occurred during their October 2025 title clash at UFC 321, which ended in a no-contest after Gane poked him in the eyes. Gane later defended his interim title against Alex Pereira at UFC White House, rocking Pereira with a clean strike before landing several illegal blows to the back of the head during the fight-ending flurry. Pereira has since argued those fouls impacted the outcome and criticized referee Herb Dean for not intervening.

Addressing the controversy on Cruz's "Love & War" podcast, former bantamweight champions Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw pushed back against claims that Gane is a cheater. Discussing eye pokes, Cruz explained that proper head movement and positioning prevent such fouls, stating that if an opponent manages to poke him in the eye, he views it as his own mistake rather than intentional cheating by the other fighter.

Dillashaw, who forfeited the UFC bantamweight title in 2019 and served a two-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, also defended Gane regarding the Pereira stoppage. Dillashaw noted that Gane was not intentionally targeting the back of the head and that Pereira was moving his head during the punches. He added that the reaction has been exaggerated by Pereira's fan base and expressed sympathy for Dean, who has received heavy criticism and boos from crowds following the bout.