Dana White signals UFC could strip Aspinall of heavyweight title amid injury absence

Tom Aspinall’s grip on the UFC heavyweight title is under serious threat, with CEO Dana White confirming the promotion will hold talks about the injured champion’s status after a near year-long absence from competition.

Aspinall has not competed since October 2025, when his rematch with Ciryl Gane was declared a no contest after illegal eye pokes left him unable to continue. The British champion required surgery on both eyes and has yet to receive clearance from athletic commissions to return to the cage.

White addressed the situation at the post-fight press conference following Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn, drawing a direct parallel to Valentina Shevchenko’s recent decision to vacate the UFC women’s flyweight championship due to injury.

“We’ll definitely be talking about that,” White told reporters. “It’s one of those — like, Valentina doesn’t want to tie up the division. And I’m assuming Tom feels the same way. I don’t know personally where he is health-wise with everything, but we should clear that up soon.”

The situation has grown more pressing since Gane claimed the interim heavyweight title by defeating Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, setting the stage for a unification rematch with Aspinall. With no confirmed return date for the champion, that bout remains in limbo.

White stopped short of announcing any immediate action, but his comments suggest the UFC is actively weighing whether Aspinall’s continued absence justifies stripping him of the undisputed title — a move that would elevate Gane to full champion and free the division to move forward.