TLDR Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title due to ongoing eye complications from an October 2025 fight He was poked in both eyes simultaneously by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, leading to a no contest result Aspinall has undergone multiple surgeries and suffered a setback when one eye was damaged during training UFC legend Randy Couture offered support and suggested Aspinall could join Ki MMA if he returns The earliest possible return date is early 2027, though no timeline has been confirmed Sources: yardbarker.com | skysports.com | si.com
Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after nearly a year of struggling to recover from serious eye injuries. The 33-year-old British fighter last competed in October 2025 when his title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest.
During that fight at UFC 321, Aspinall was poked in both eyes at the same time late in the first round. He was unable to continue, bringing a premature end to what was supposed to be his first title defense.
What initially appeared to be a temporary setback has turned into a career-threatening situation. Aspinall has undergone multiple surgeries over the past year to address ongoing complicat...