The UFC will decide whether Tom Aspinall keeps the heavyweight title as he approaches a year away from competition, the organisation's president Dana White said. That review follows a prolonged recovery from an eye injury that ended Aspinall's first defence in October 2025 and a subsequent diagnosis that required surgery.
Aspinall has not fought since the no-contest with Ciryl Gane in October 2025, when repeated eye pokes left him unable to continue. The British fighter was later diagnosed with a rare eye condition, developed persistent double vision and underwent surgery to address the problem.
White confirmed the promotion will raise the matter internally, saying, "We'll definitely be talking about that." He framed the decision alongside a recent precedent, noting, "Valentina doesn't want to tie up the division and I'm assuming Tom feels the same way." He added, "I don't know personally where he is health-wise. We should clear that up soon."
The move follows the women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko vacating her title earlier this month because of persistent injuries. The UFC appears to be weighing the need for active champions against the specifics of individual recoveries.
Pressure on the heavyweight picture has increased since June, when Ciryl Gane defeated Alex Pereira to claim the interim heavyweight title and publicly pushed for a rematch with Aspinall. In June Aspinall said he had returned to full training and proposed a possible September date for a rematch, and late in August he denied reports he was planning to leave the UFC. Despite those statements, White signalled the promotion needs a clearer medical update before confirming the belt's future.
The next steps are internal discussions within the UFC and a clarification of Aspinall's current medical status. If the organisation follows the path taken after Shevchenko's decision, it could ask Aspinall to vacate to avoid stalling the division while an interim champion holds a title. The UFC has not announced a timeline for its review.
