UFC CEO Dana White isn’t confident in Tom Aspinall returning to the Octagon anytime soon as he recovers from his eye injuries.
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall remains sidelined after multiple eye injuries suffered against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last year. Just minutes into their UFC 321 title fight, multiple accidental eye pokes from Gane led to the fight being ruled a no contest, as Aspinall retained his heavyweight title in an undesirable fashion.
As of this writing, Aspinall remains sidelined after undergoing multiple eye surgeries to repair his vision in both eyes. During his hiatus, Gane won the interim heavyweight title by finishing former two-division champ Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June.
Immediately after UFC 321, Aspinall expressed disdain for how UFC CEO Dana White responded to his injuries against Gane. White later went on to clarify that he felt that Aspinall wasn’t taking the easy way out, and wished him well with his recovery.
Almost a year removed from UFC 321, Aspinall added Matchroom CEO Eddie Hearn to his management team, one of White’s biggest enemies in boxing. With no known timetable for Aspinall to be medically cleared to fight, White is prepared to keep the heavyweight division moving.
Dana White mum on Tom Aspinall’s UFC future as heavyweight division ‘keeps rolling’
During a recent post-fight press conference, White was asked about Aspinall’s future and an update on his UFC return.
“Tom Aspinall is hurt. Until we hear differently, the heavyweight division will just keep rolling,” White said of Aspinall. (h/t MMA Junkie)
White didn’t specify whether or not Gane will fight another opponent during Aspinall’s absence, or if Gane will wait it out for Aspinall to return.
Aspinall’s ongoing hiatus adds to what’s been a rocky last few years in the UFC heavyweight division. After Jon Jones’ abrupt 2025 retirement and Aspinall’s promotion to undisputed champ, the division has lacked continuity in 2026.
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