Tom Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title after eye injury setback
The British fighter says he is not retiring, but has no clear return date after further complications to his right-eye injury.
Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight title after complications from a right-eye injury sustained during his bout with Ciryl Gane, according to Al Jazeera.
Aspinall said he had resumed sparring and agreed to a fight date before an accident caused further damage to his eye. He said the setback meant his return to competition was unclear.
The 33-year-old has undergone multiple surgeries since suffering severe eye pokes during his title defence against Gane in Abu Dhabi in October 2025. The contest was ruled a first-round no-contest after Aspinall could not continue.
Aspinall said he relinquished the belt to avoid delaying the heavyweight division while he recovers. He stressed that vacating the title did not amount to retirement and said he intended to return once medically cleared.
Gane is expected to be elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion after winning the interim title against Alex Pereira in June 2026. No timetable has been provided for Aspinall’s return.
