The UFC will assess Tom Aspinall’s status as heavyweight champion as he approaches a full year out of action, says its president Dana White. Briton Aspinall, 33, has not fought since October 2025, when the first defence of his title against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest as he suffered an eye injury. After repeated eye pokes from Gane, Aspinall was unable to continue and was then diagnosed with a rare eye condition and had persistent double vision before having surgery.

Pressure to Vacate the Belt

Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo has urged Aspinall to vacate the title, arguing that the champion should not hold the belt if he is unable to compete. “Tom, give up the title bro,” Cejudo told Mike Bohn — “Give up the title, let your eye recover, and that’s it; Let the other dudes fight – let the winner of Josh Hokit and Alex Pereira fight Ciryl Gane for the undisputed [belt]. Plain and simple.”

Ciryl Gane won the interim heavyweight title at the UFC Freedom 250 card at The White House, where he spoiled Alex Pereira’s bid to claim a UFC belt in a third weight class. Pereira has since disputed the result of the Gane fight due to apparent strikes to the back of the head that were uncalled by referee Herb Dean, raising the possibility of an immediate rematch.

Aspinall’s Recovery and Management

Aspinall has been in full recovery mode since October 2025, undergoing eye surgery and steadily healing, with no timetable for his comeback established as of yet. In June, Aspinall said he had returned to full training for a rematch with Gane and suggested they could fight in September, though he then rejected reports saying that he was going to leave the UFC when speculation started at the end of August.

Aspinall has also been working with Eddie Hearn, the boss of Matchroom Boxing, as a manager. The deal was announced officially on Thursday and was described as part of Matchroom Talent Agency’s new brand for talent management. The new agency aims to support athletes in promoting their careers and building their brands. However, Hearn has been at odds with UFC CEO Dana White over various issues, including calling Aspinall’s UFC contract “a f*cking disgrace.”

Aspinall’s father, Andy, recently gave an update on his son’s condition in an interview on Tom’s YouTube channel. He revealed that Tom’s right eye is completely gray and that he cannot see anything, while his left eye retains only half of its vision. Andy emphasized that the injury is more than just a simple accident and criticized the UFC for its handling of fighter safety.

UFC’s Next Steps

White was asked whether he thought that Aspinall should consider vacating the title or whether any discussions had taken place about stripping him of the title. “We’ll definitely be talking about that,” White said. “Valentina doesn’t want to tie up the division and I’m assuming Tom feels the same way. I don’t know personally where he is health-wise. We should clear that up soon.”

In June, Aspinall said he had returned to full training for a rematch with France’s Gane and suggested they could fight in September. Gane beat Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight title at the UFC’s White House show in June, before also calling for a rematch with Aspinall.