Demetrious Johnson says Aspinall’s not coming back, as the former UFC flyweight champion believes Tom Aspinall may never step inside the Octagon again following his title vacation.
Aspinall announced Monday that he had officially vacated the UFC heavyweight title after suffering another injury to his right eye while training.
The 33-year-old had been preparing to return to action after spending almost a year on the sidelines. However, the latest setback has once again put his comeback plans on hold.
UFC CEO Dana White had already hinted at the possibility of stripping Aspinall of the heavyweight title over the weekend when asked about the Brit’s return timeline.
Former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson believes the situation could mark the end of Aspinall’s fighting career.
Johnson pointed to the seriousness of Aspinall’s eye problems and said he would not be willing to risk his vision for a return to competition.
“I sent Tom Aspinall a message today and I said, ‘Dude, I’m sending good vibes, I’m hoping your eye gets healed’,” Johnson said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“We don’t know if we’ll ever see Tom Aspinall again inside the UFC Octagon. Deep down in my gut, I would say no (he won’t come back). I wouldn’t risk the opportunity of me losing my vision and not being able to see my children, I would be shocked if Tom Aspinall fights again.
“Just because when it comes to fighting and training, that eye is always gonna be compromised. Is he willing to take that risk? I wouldn’t take that risk, this is something he’s gonna be battling for the rest of his life, believe it or not… He could potentially lose his eye… His eye is now a compromised target,” Johnson continued.
Johnson also referenced Michael Bisping, who dealt with serious eye problems during his career and ultimately lost vision in one eye after continuing to compete.
Aspinall, however, has not announced his retirement and insists that vacating the title does not mean he is walking away from MMA.
The former champion explained that ongoing complications with his eyes have prevented him from getting medical clearance to fight.
“Ongoing complications with my eyes mean I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now,” Aspinall wrote in a statement posted on social media. “I’ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing.”
Aspinall has not fought since October 2025, when his bout with Gane ended in a no-contest after the eye-poke incident.
The heavyweight revealed that he had recently agreed to a fight date before another injury forced him to delay his return.
While Johnson believes Aspinall may never return to the Octagon, the former champion has made it clear that he still wants to fight again if his health allows it.
“I’m absolutely gutted. I’ve chased this dream since I was 10 years old,” Aspinall wrote. “I’m not done. Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. I’ll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible.
