Aspinall Needs More Eye Tests Before UFC Return: Hearn

Tom Aspinall still needs to clear additional eye testing before he can return to the UFC heavyweight division, promoter Eddie Hearn says, with no firm timeline yet for his comeback.

Aspinall has not fought since the UFC 321 main event in October 2025, when his heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest after an accidental eye poke left him unable to continue. Hearn, who represents Aspinall through Matchroom's talent agency, said the champion has since gone through multiple eye surgeries and that his return date is now in the hands of athletic commissions rather than his own readiness.

"He's under contract," Hearn said. "The only thing that we have to look at is when Tom Aspinall will be ready to return. And that's not when he will be ready to return from a mindset perspective; that's from a commission perspective in terms of his injuries. And that shows you what he has been through, because if the commission won't let him fight, you know how serious the injuries were."

Why Aspinall's Return Date Isn't Set Yet

Hearn made clear that willingness to fight and medical clearance are two different things for Aspinall right now. "It all depends whether he'll be ready," Hearn said. "He's training. I think he's gonna have to go through some additional testing to make sure he's good to return, but he wants to fight." Hearn added that Aspinall is "motivated" and wants back in the cage as soon as he is physically cleared, but stopped short of offering any target date.

What This Means for the Heavyweight Title Picture

The delay matters because the heavyweight division already has a logjam at the top. Ciryl Gane has since won the interim heavyweight title by stopping Alex Pereira via second-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250, putting a unification bout with Aspinall in place as the obvious next step whenever the champion is medically cleared. Until Aspinall gets through the required eye testing, that unification fight cannot be booked, which leaves one of the sport's most anticipated matchups in limbo.

For bettors, that uncertainty is the story for now. Books can't price a fight that has no return date attached, and until commissions sign off on Aspinall's eyes, any lines floated around an Aspinall-Gane unification bout are pure speculation. The bigger market question once Aspinall is cleared will be how a long layoff and multiple eye surgeries affect a champion built on speed and output, something oddsmakers will weigh heavily when the fight actually gets a date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why hasn't Tom Aspinall fought since UFC 321?

Tom Aspinall suffered an accidental eye poke during his heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October 2025, which was ruled a no contest, and he has needed multiple eye surgeries since.

Will Tom Aspinall fight Ciryl Gane next?

A title unification bout between Tom Aspinall and interim champion Ciryl Gane is expected once Aspinall is medically cleared, but no date has been set as he still needs additional eye testing.

What did Eddie Hearn say about Tom Aspinall's return?

Eddie Hearn said Tom Aspinall is motivated to return but still needs to pass additional eye tests required by athletic commissions before he can be cleared to fight again.