Tom Aspinall Vacates UFC Heavyweight Title
· Yahoo Sports
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall announced on Monday that he has decided to vacate his title due to eye injuries.
Aspinall was poked in the eye by Ciryl Gane in their UFC 321 main event in October 2025, and he has not fought since then.
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He has had four eye surgeries and has said that he is back to training. Unfortunately, he cannot get medically cleared to fight, and therefore, he has done the honorable thing and vacated his title instead of holding up the UFC heavyweight division.
Tom Aspinall Vacates Heavyweight Belt
Taking to his Instagram, Tom Aspinall shared a lengthy statement in which he explained his decision to vacate his title.
“Anything you read in the media is simply noise. People are creating their own narratives. This is the truth: Ongoing complications with my eyes mean I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now. I’ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing. I had previously agreed to a fight date and was back sparring, feeling great and ready to compete when an accident caused further damage to my right eye. This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear,” Aspinall said.
“I know there have been questions about why I’ve been quiet. I’ve always followed the advice of the UFC and focused on my recovery while we’ve tried to make this happen. I’ve now made the decision to vacate the heavyweight title. I’ve asked the UFC to allow me to make this statement because I don’t want to hold the heavyweight division up. I know what it’s like to have your career put on hold and I want the other fighters to have the opportunity to compete for the title. The UFC and Hunter have been informed every step of the way and have seen the tests, procedures and medical information relating to my eyes. We have worked closely with different doctors and specialists to try and make my return happen, but unfortunately, it’s simply not possible right now.
“I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve chased this dream since I was 10 years old. I’m not done. Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. I’ll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible. What makes this particularly difficult is that many of the complications I’m dealing with are a result of fouls that changed the course of my career. Fighters rely on officials to enforce the rules and protect us in those moments, and it’s hard to still be dealing with the consequences today. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this absolute nightmare. I’ll be back as soon as I’m medically able to be. Tom.”
What’s Next for the UFC Heavyweight Division?
With Aspinall vacating the belt, interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane now becomes the champion, and he seems likely to fight Alex Pereira in his first title defense, though Josh Hokit remains a possibility.
As for Aspinall, one would hope that if and when he does fight again, he gets an immediate title shot upon his return.
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