{"id":24226,"date":"2026-09-14T16:04:53","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:04:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=24226"},"modified":"2026-09-14T16:04:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:04:53","slug":"tom-aspinall-vacates-ufc-heavyweight-title-after-eye-complications-once-again-delay-comeback-fans-await-ciryl-ganes-response-mma-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=24226","title":{"rendered":"Tom Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title after eye complications once again delay comeback, fans await Ciryl Gane\u2019s response | MMA News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134240217,imgsize-707252,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/tom-aspinall.jpg\" alt=\"Tom Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title after eye complications once again delay comeback, fans await Ciryl Gane\u2019s response\" title=\"Tom Aspinall (Image via Getty)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Tom Aspinall (Image via Getty)\">Tom Aspinall (Image via Getty)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after ongoing complications with his right eye left him unable to receive medical clearance. The 33-year-old British fighter has not competed since his no contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October, when an eye poke forced the bout to end early.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>Aspinall has undergone multiple surgeries, accidents and infections during his recovery. He had been preparing for a return and was back sparring when another accident caused further damage. With his comeback date now uncertain, Aspinall decided to give up the title rather than hold up the heavyweight division.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2><b>Tom Aspinall steps away from title but vows to return<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Tom Aspinall explained his decision in an emotional statement. He also addressed the speculation surrounding his long absence and made it clear that he has no plans to retire from MMA.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>\u201cAnything you read in the media is simply noise. People are creating their own narratives. This is the truth: Ongoing complications with my eyes mean I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now. I\u2019ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing\u201d, he wrote on social media. <span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/><span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>He continued, \u201cI had previously agreed to a fight date and was back sparring, feeling great and ready to compete when an accident caused further damage to my right eye. This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear. I know there have been questions about why I\u2019ve been quiet. I\u2019ve always followed the advice of the UFC and focused on my recovery while we\u2019ve tried to make this happen.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>I\u2019ve now made the decision to vacate the heavyweight title. I\u2019ve asked the UFC to allow me to make this statement because I don\u2019t want to hold the heavyweight division up. <!-- -->I know what it\u2019s like to have your career put on hold and I want the other fighters to have the opportunity to compete for the title. I\u2019m not done.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>He then thanked everyone who has supported him throughout this absolute nightmare. He wrote that he will be back as soon as he is medically able to be.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>Aspinall won the UFC heavyweight title before his latest injury problems interrupted his reign. His last appearance came against Gane, with the fight ending without a winner after the eye poke.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/>During Aspinall\u2019s absence, Gane returned to action against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June. Gane stopped Pereira by second-round TKO and captured the interim heavyweight championship.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>The result now puts Gane in position to become the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion. The UFC is expected to upgrade him following Aspinall\u2019s decision.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>Pereira had also been pushing for a rematch with Aspinall as questions continued to grow over the champion\u2019s availability. However, Aspinall\u2019s latest announcement changes the situation at the top of the division.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"33\"\/>Neither the UFC nor Gane has publicly commented on Aspinall\u2019s decision yet. He still wants to return once he is healthy and medically cleared to fight.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/mma\/news\/tom-aspinall-vacates-ufc-heavyweight-title-after-eye-complications-once-again-delay-comeback-fans-await-ciryl-ganes-response\/articleshow\/134240188.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tom Aspinall (Image via Getty) Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after ongoing complications with his right eye left him unable to receive medical clearance. The 33-year-old British fighter has not competed since his no contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October, when an eye poke forced the bout to end [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Tom Aspinall (Image via Getty) Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after ongoing complications with his right eye left him unable to receive medical clearance. The 33-year-old British fighter has not competed since his no contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October, when an eye poke forced the bout to end [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":3,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tom-aspinall.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}