The heavyweight division looked ready to enter a new era following Jon Jones’ retirement and Tom Aspinall’s promotion to undisputed champion. But what was supposed to be Aspinall’s triumphant return after a 14-month layoff instead ended in controversy at UFC 321.
A brutal double eye poke brought the fight to a premature end, resulting in a no-contest. Aspinall was diagnosed with a rare bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and has since undergone double eye surgery. Now, nearly a year later, there is still no clear timeline for when the Englishman will step back into the Octagon.
The uncertainty has left the heavyweight division in a strange spot. Ciryl Gane captured the interim 265-pound title at UFC Freedom 250 after demolishing Alex Pereira, and there was a verbal agreement for Aspinall to defend his undisputed belt against Gane at UFC Paris on September 5.
However, with Dan Hooker instead booked to headline the Paris card against promotional newcomer Salahdine Parnasse, fans will have to wait even longer for clarity. With Aspinall’s return date still unknown and the heavyweight title picture effectively on hold, questions began to emerge about whether the Brit would even fight inside the Octagon again.
Those questions only grew after rumors surfaced that Aspinall’s striking coach had suggested the heavyweight champion would not fight out the remainder of his current UFC contract. His manager, Eddie Hearn, has also spoken about Aspinall’s relatively modest UFC pay, while his ongoing tension with Dana White over Zuffa Boxing added another layer of uncertainty.
Now, however, White has put those concerns to rest. In a recent interview with Spinnin Backfist, the UFC boss confirmed that Aspinall is not going anywhere and will return as soon as he is healthy enough to compete.
The interviewer brought up the alleged comments from Aspinall’s striking coach, prompting White to respond. He said, “Whenever he is healthy. He’s not going anywhere. He is with us. We are good with Tom Aspinall. And I didn’t know that. I didn’t know his striking coach said that. But, obviously that’s not true. And sounds like Tom clarified that. When he’s healthy and ready to fight, he will fight.”
Dana White on Tom Aspinall’s UFC future:
“He’s not going anywhere, we are good with Tom Aspinall— When he’s healthy and he’s ready to fight, he’ll fight.”
via @SpinninBackfist pic.twitter.com/QU8Hz2mE1g
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) August 28, 2026
ALSO READ: Alexander Volkanovski Makes Bold UFC 333 Prediction, Says No Featherweight Can Beat Him by Decision
That is certainly encouraging news for Aspinall and UFC fans, especially given the tension surrounding the heavyweight champion’s injury recovery over the past 10 months.
White’s comments also line up with what Aspinall himself recently made clear. In a recent post, the Englishman shut down the speculation surrounding his UFC future and reiterated that his only focus is getting back inside the Octagon. There is no plan to move to boxing or explore another MMA promotion.
Aspinall wrote, “I’m not leaving the UFC. I’ve never said I have in any interview, and any words that have been taken from others today are simply not true. We are talking with the UFC daily, and they will update you guys always.”
— Tom Aspinall (@AspinallMMA) August 26, 2026
For now, though, the biggest question remains when Aspinall will actually be healthy enough to fight. The 33-year-old has continued to provide fans and the media with updates on his recovery, but neither he nor the UFC has offered a definitive timeline for his return.
With no official main events announced yet for UFC 332, UFC 334, or UFC 335 as the year-end schedule begins to take shape, fans will be hoping Aspinall’s recovery progresses quickly enough to finally set up the long-awaited heavyweight unification bout.
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.
