Austen Lane Apologizes to Justin Tafa for Poking His Eye in Former NFL DE's UFC Debut

Featured Columnist IVJune 25, 2023

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: (R-L) Austen Lane and Justin Tafa of New Zealand react to their No Contest decision in their heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena on June 24, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Austen Lane apologized to Justin Tafa after an inadvertent eye poke brought their fight to a premature end Saturday.

Lane accidentally caught Tafa in the right eye 29 seconds into the first round at UFC on ABC 5. After trainers tended to Tafa, the referee ruled the bout a no contest.

ESPN MMA @espnmma
The fight was ruled a no contest after an accidental eye poke. <a href="https://t.co/8EcLiwqDqr">pic.twitter.com/8EcLiwqDqr</a>

Lane addressed the situation on social media and said the outcome was "not how I wanted it to go down."

Austen Lane @A_Train_92
Justin Tafa… I apologize. Not how I wanted it to go down. That shit is on me and I hope your eye is alright. <br><br>To the city I call home. The energy you gave me as I was walking out will be something I'll remember the rest of my life. I'm sorry I couldn't give you show.

Tafa, meanwhile, lobbied for the fight to be deemed a disqualification in his favor.

Justin Tafa @justin_tafa
I deserve my Win bonus that's a DQ man <a href="https://t.co/CMNdW0ZUtL">pic.twitter.com/CMNdW0ZUtL</a>

It was an inauspicious UFC debut for Lane. The 35-year-old former NFL defensive end worked his way up the MMA ladder and parlayed his September 2022 victory over Richard Jacobi on Dana White's Contender Series into a full contract.

Lane was unsuccessful during his first go-round on the DWCS. He suffered a first-round TKO to another former NFL star, Greg Hardy, in June 2018.

His overall record remains 12-3 following Saturday's card.

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