Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title amid ongoing eye issues
- On Monday, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall vacated his title via social media, citing severe eye complications that left him medically uncleared to compete, preempting UFC CEO Dana White's consideration of stripping him.
- Aspinall's medical crisis began when Ciryl Gane poked him in both eyes during their UFC 321 bout 323 days ago, triggering multiple surgeries and infections that prolonged his recovery.
- Despite undergoing extensive medical treatment with UFC specialists Hunter, Aspinall recently agreed to a comeback date and resumed sparring before a training accident exacerbated damage to his right eye.
- The 33-year-old's withdrawal clears the path for interim champion Ciryl Gane, who defeated Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, to defend his belt without further delays.
- Despite stepping away from the title, Aspinall vowed to return, stating "Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream" after chasing his goal since 10 years old.
51 Articles
51 Articles
Tom Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title due to eye surgery complications
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall will vacate his title due to complications from multiple eye surgeries after he suffered an injury in a title defense against Ciryl Gane in October 2025.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Tom Aspinall’s UFC nightmare continues thanks to cruelest twist
Comment: If Aspinall is the unluckiest champion in UFC history, vacating the belt 11 months after his eye was injured by Ciryl Gane, perhaps the latter will be the luckiest, with the title surely headed his way
Tom Aspinall, 33, is the UFC heavyweight champion. But he hasn't fought since October of last year. Now he's relinquishing the title.
Mixed Martial Arts-Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title amid ongoing eye issues - Regional Media News
Sept 14 (Reuters) - UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has vacated his title after suffering ongoing complications from an eye injury sustained during his bout with Ciryl Gane last year, the British fighter said on Monday. The 33-year-old has undergone multiple surgeries since receiving severe [...]
The British suffered from persistent complications related to his injury in his fight against Frenchman Ciryl Gane in October 2025.
BRITISH fighter Tom Aspinall has renounced the UFC heavyweight title due to a serious eye injury. After a series of surgeries and complications, he still cannot get medical permission to return to the battlefield.
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