Tom Aspinall's UFC Return Stalled by Eye Injury Clearance

Tom Aspinall still doesn't have medical clearance to return to the UFC's heavyweight division, with his eye injury from last October's fight against Ciryl Gane still holding up his comeback.

Eddie Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, addressed Aspinall's status in a recent press scrum and made clear the delay isn't about the champion's mindset. "The only thing that we have to look at is when Tom Aspinall will be ready to return," Hearn said. "And that's not from a mindset perspective; that's from a commission perspective in terms of his injury." Hearn added that the severity of the layoff says something about what Aspinall has been through, noting that a commission holding up a fighter typically means the damage was real. He was careful to stress Aspinall's mental state hasn't wavered, saying the champion is motivated and wants back in the cage as soon as he's physically cleared, even though no target date exists yet.

What Happened to Tom Aspinall's Eye

Aspinall's heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane last October ended in the first round as a no contest after Gane poked him in both eyes, leaving Aspinall unable to continue. The finish sparked a public rift between Aspinall and the UFC, with the champion accusing Dana White of downplaying how serious the injury actually was. Since then, Aspinall has gone through multiple eye procedures and has said his recovery is progressing, but he remains without commission clearance to compete.

Betting Angle

With no return date and no clearance, there's nothing bookable yet, and that's the real story for bettors. Aspinall (15-3) sits on top of the heavyweight division without having settled the score with Gane, and any market activity around a rebooking is premature until a commission actually signs off on him fighting again. Heavyweight title futures and any Aspinall-Gane rematch pricing should be treated as speculative until an official return is confirmed. The eye poke finish also keeps a natural grievance match on the table once Aspinall is healthy, which figures to shape how sportsbooks frame his comeback fight when one is finally announced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why hasn't Tom Aspinall returned to the UFC yet?

Tom Aspinall has not been medically cleared by the commission to compete again after suffering an eye injury during his October fight against Ciryl Gane, which ended in a no contest due to an eye poke.

What happened in the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane fight?

The UFC heavyweight title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended in the first round as a no contest after Gane poked Aspinall in both eyes, leaving him unable to continue.

Is Tom Aspinall still the UFC heavyweight champion?

Yes, Tom Aspinall remains the UFC heavyweight titleholder while he recovers from the eye injury and awaits medical clearance to fight again.