There’s a rumor that simply won’t die in MMA circles right now, and it’s a big one: Tom Aspinall might walk away from the UFC. Not retire from fighting, but leave the promotion that made him heavyweight champion.
The speculation started after his own boxing coach suggested as much during an Instagram Live and spread quickly enough that the reigning heavyweight champion of the world was forced to release an official statement shutting it down. But what if Aspinall actually doesn’t return? If that scenario becomes reality, who could Ciryl Gane fight next now that the Frenchman sits atop the division as the interim 265-pound king?
Repeated Eye Pokes Leave Tom Aspinall’s UFC Future in Doubt
To understand how we got here, go back to UFC 321 last October in Abu Dhabi. Tom Aspinall was making the first defense of his undisputed heavyweight title, and online betting sites had him as the clear favorite. UFC odds at Bovada had the champion listed at -400 on fight night, but it was Gane who had the better start, using his jab and range to keep Aspinall at bay before an accidental double eye poke brought the fight to a bizarre end at 4:35 of the opening round.
Aspinall couldn’t see out of his right eye during the five-minute recovery period allowed under the rules, leaving the referee with no choice but to stop the fight. It became the first UFC title fight ever ruled a no-contest because of an accidental foul. “What am I supposed to do about it? I can’t see,” Aspinall shouted toward a crowd that was booing him, unaware of just how serious the injury was.
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Three days later, his father and coach, Andy Aspinall, provided a grim update, revealing that Aspinall’s right eye was still seeing nothing but grey. He was eventually diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome, a rare condition that restricts the eye’s ability to rotate upward. Since then, the champion has undergone multiple surgeries in an effort to get back to even light training.
Unfortunately for Aspinall, this isn’t the first time he’s been forced to watch a major opportunity disappear through no fault of his own. He spent the better part of 18 months waiting for an undisputed title fight with all-time great Jon Jones, only for “Bones” to retire and vacate the title despite previously telling both Aspinall and UFC CEO Dana White that he would face the Brit next.
Between that saga and his ongoing eye issues, Aspinall, once one of the most active fighters on the UFC roster, has competed just once in the last 25 months, and that appearance ended in a no-contest.
Siding With the Enemy
Things became even more complicated when Tom Aspinall signed a deal with Eddie Hearn’s newly launched Matchroom Talent Agency, becoming Hearn’s first client and, in the process, putting the UFC heavyweight champion directly in the middle of the long-running feud between Hearn and Dana White.
Hearn has made his intentions clear. Speaking to reporters in Dublin, he said he has no plans to allow Aspinall to fight Gane again under his current UFC deal, arguing that the money being offered doesn’t come close to what a fight of that magnitude should generate.
White, meanwhile, has continued to insist that Aspinall is still “my heavyweight champion.” Still, the Brit wasn’t even invited to attend the White House card in June, where Ciryl Gane captured the interim title by brutally knocking out former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in Aspinall’s absence.
CIRYL GANE OMG #UFCWhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/t9dJOhKCxu
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) June 15, 2026
So, where does that leave the heavyweight division? In theory, Gane’s interim title should eventually be unified with Aspinall’s undisputed belt to determine the true champion. But as Aspinall’s failed attempts to unify an interim title with Jones showed, these blockbuster fights don’t always make it to the Octagon.
So, if Aspinall isn’t next for Gane, who could the Frenchman face? Whether it’s an interim title defense or a vacant heavyweight title fight should Aspinall be stripped or walk away for good, there are three names who stand out.
Josh Hokit
Josh Hokit has gone from Contender Series obscurity to the No. 4-ranked heavyweight in the world in barely a year. He ran through Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman before scoring a major statement win over Curtis Blaydes and then finishing Derrick Lewis to move to 10-0.
His rise hasn’t been completely smooth, though. Hokit drew public criticism from Dana White himself after making controversial comments at the White House. Even so, the hype around the brash American hasn’t slowed down.
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The original “Bad Guy,” Chael Sonnen, still predicts Hokit will be champion by the end of 2026. Can a fighter with only one truly established signature win justify a title shot right now? Probably not. A fight with the experienced and composed Gane would certainly answer that question quickly. But right now, few heavyweights have more momentum and hype behind them than Hokit, and sometimes that’s enough to land a massive opportunity.
Alexander Volkov
Alexander Volkov has been knocking on the door of heavyweight gold for years. The former Bellator and M-1 Global champion has gone 6-1 since 2022, picking up wins over Tai Tuivasa, Sergei Pavlovich, Jailton Almeida, and Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
His only setback during that run came via a razor-thin split decision against Gane at UFC 310, a fight many inside the arena, including Dana White, believed Volkov had won. At 37 years old, the Russian knows his window isn’t getting any bigger, and another strong run could be his final chance to make a serious push for the title.
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A rematch with Gane would also come with an obvious storyline, making Volkov perhaps the most proven option available if Aspinall remains out of the picture.
Sergei Pavlovich
Sergei Pavlovich brings something completely different to the table: freshness. Unlike Hokit and Volkov, he doesn’t have years of history with Gane, but he does have the kind of power that can change a heavyweight fight in an instant.
Pavlovich was brutally knocked out by Aspinall in just 90 seconds back in 2023 at UFC 295 for interim gold, but he has since bounced back with a decision win over Waldo Cortes-Acosta and a devastating 39-second stoppage of Tallison Teixeira. He now boasts 16 knockouts across 21 professional victories.
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There is no existing storyline between Pavlovich and Gane, but that could actually work in their favor if the UFC wants a fresh matchup. The biggest hurdle is the Russian’s decision loss to Volkov, which could mean he has to wait for his compatriot to get the first opportunity.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
