Tom Aspinall’s Next Fight: 3 Eye Surgeries, 10 Months, Beef With Dana White: What We Know

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 25: Tom Aspinall of England prepares to look Ciryl Gane of France successful the UFC heavyweight title conflict during the UFC 321 arena astatine Etihad Arena connected October 25, 2025 successful Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

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Tom Aspinall made it clear connected Wednesday. He's not looking to time off the UFC. Aspinall took to societal media and posted an charismatic connection to unopen down the rumors that person surfaced. Aspinall, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, has been retired of action for 10-plus months, had 3 oculus surgeries and a nationalist falling retired pinch Dana White.

He's besides signed pinch Matchroom's Eddie Hearn arsenic his manager. White and Hearn person been embroiled successful a bitter warfare of words complete the past fewer months. All of that together is decidedly capable to substance rumors of his imaginable exit from the promotion. What's really happening and what's adjacent for Aspinall? Let's talk MMA.

Aspinall posted the statement to his ain relationship Wednesday.

Tom Aspinall Key Facts

The rumor started pinch Aspinall's ain boxing coach, who said connected an Instagram Live that his combatant nary longer wanted to conflict successful the promotion. Hearn had already offered successful June to bargain the statement out, putting successful penning that Aspinall would gain 3 times much elsewhere.

Ranked heavyweight Josh Hokit called this period for the loop to beryllium taken disconnected him. Alexander Volkov and Rizvan Kuniev meet astatine UFC 333 successful October pinch the victor sitting down the unification.

Aspinall’s adjacent conflict has to beryllium against interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane. Aspinall and Gane’s first fight, backmost successful 2025, ended successful a nary title aft the latter’s double oculus flick near the erstwhile injured, partially unsighted and successful request of surgeries to repair the issues.

Since then, Gane has gone connected to triumph the interim title by stopping Alex Pereira astatine UFC Freedom 250 successful June. Aspinall still doesn't person a return date, but according to his post, he's talking pinch the UFC daily.

When the 2 men person their rematch, it will beryllium 1 of the biggest fights of the twelvemonth and it is simply a premier campaigner to header UFC 334 successful Madison Square Garden successful November.

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The Aspinall Layoff, Step By Step

Timeline arsenic reported by the UFC and covering outlets.

The UFC Heavyweight Picture

Standing arsenic listed by the UFC.