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Tom Aspinall Vacates UFC Heavyweight Title Due to Eye Injury
Confirmed
In Short: UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has vacated his title due to ongoing complications from an eye injury sustained during his bout with Ciryl Gane.
Ciryl Gane, who captured the interim heavyweight title with a victory over Alex Pereira in June, is now set to be elevated to the undisputed champion. Despite vacating the belt, Aspinall remains determined to compete again, as he wrote on Instagram, "This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear." The 33-year-old has undergone multiple surgeries since receiving severe eye pokes in his title defence against Gane in Abu Dhabi in October last year.
UFC president Dana White hinted over the weekend that Aspinall could be stripped of the title if he does not return to full health. Aspinall's departure clears the way for Gane, who beat Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight title in June, to claim the undisputed championship. Gane had called for a rematch with Aspinall, who had suggested they could fight in September. Aspinall's professional MMA record stands at 15 wins, three defeats, and one no-contest.
In August, Aspinall rejected reports that he would leave the UFC, stating, "I will continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible." Despite the setback, Aspinall remains the only British fighter to win a UFC heavyweight title. His vacating the title does not mark his retirement, and he remains committed to returning to the sport.
What's confirmed
- “Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream,” he wrote on Instagram.
What's still developing
- “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,” Aspinall wrote on Instagram on Monday.
- The contest was ruled a first-round no-contest after Aspinall was unable to continue.
- Aspinall said he had decided to relinquish the belt rather than delay the division while he recovers.
- Aspinall was diagnosed with a rare eye condition, and has had persistent double vision and several operations.
- This month Valentina Shevchenko vacated the women's flyweight title because of persistent injuries.