Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title over eye injury — SkimNews
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- Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after being diagnosed with a rare eye condition that has caused persistent double vision and required several operations.
- The 33-year-old Briton has not fought since October 2025, when his first title defense against France's Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest following several eye pokes.
- Aspinall said he is "absolutely gutted" and has chased the dream since age 10, insisting "stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport" as he works toward a return.
- UFC president Dana White hinted over the weekend that Aspinall could be stripped of the title, prompting Aspinall to vacate it voluntarily on Monday.
- Ciryl Gane won the interim heavyweight title in June by beating Alex Pereira, and has called for a rematch with Aspinall.
- This month Valentina Shevchenko also vacated the women's flyweight title due to persistent injuries — the second UFC title change in August driven by injury.
Why it matters: With Gane holding the interim belt after his June win over Pereira, the heavyweight division now has a clear successor waiting for the official title to be awarded — and Aspinall's statement leaves the door open for that rematch once he clears medical. Two UFC titles have been vacated this month, both due to injury, underscoring how physical toll is reshaping multiple divisions simultaneously.
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