Tom Aspinall has vacated the UFC heavyweight championship after ongoing complications with his eye injury left him unable to secure medical clearance for a return.
Aspinall has been sidelined since October 2025, when his title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a first-round no contest after accidental eye pokes left him unable to continue.
The British heavyweight subsequently underwent multiple surgeries and eventually returned to training and sparring, but another accident caused further damage to his right eye and pushed his comeback timeline into uncertainty.
Tom Aspinall Makes Painful Decision To Vacate UFC Title
In a statement announcing his decision, Aspinall explained that his ongoing eye complications meant he could not be medically cleared to compete. Rather than keep the heavyweight division waiting, the 33-year-old chose to relinquish the championship.
I’m absolutely gutted,” Aspinall wrote on Instagram, while making it clear that vacating the belt does not mean he is retiring. He remains determined to recover and return to competition once doctors clear him.
