Tom Aspinall is finally seeing light at the end of a frustrating road and the heavyweight division should start paying attention.
After months on the sidelines due to lingering eye issues, Tom Aspinall has delivered a promising update that signals his return isn’t far off. The UFC heavyweight champion hasn’t fought since his chaotic no-contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, where an eye poke forced an abrupt end to his first title defense.
Now, things are trending in the right direction.
“We are just on route back from the eye hospital, where today I’ve had a scan, and things are progressing f*cking nicely, which I’m very happy about,” Aspinall said. “They’re saying pretty soon, if things keep moving in the right direction, I will be cleared for contact.
“I am back in the gym, I am back training, but not sparring just yet. If things keep going the way they’re going, we are back.”
That’s the update the division has been waiting for. Tom Aspinall is already training again, and once he gets full clearance, it’s only a matter of time before he steps back into the Octagon.
With no confirmed return date yet, the UFC moved forward by booking an interim heavyweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. For Aspinall, the path is simple—heal up, then face the winner.
“Everyone keeps asking when I’m going to fight,” Aspinall said. “The obvious answer is the other two guys, Alex and Ciryl, have to fight for the interim title. I’m obviously going to fight the winner.
“The UFC has told me that I’m fighting the winner. So first and foremost, I should get my health right, which is on the right track. I have to wait for that to be done, and then we fight the winner. Simple as that.”
There’s no rushing the timeline, but Tom Aspinall doesn’t expect to be out much longer.
“No specific month,” he said. “I’m waiting to get clearance, which is going to be coming soon. Those two have got to fight each other first. Let them do their thing, recover, and when everybody’s ready, we’ll do it.”
While he’s been out, the heavyweight division hasn’t stood still. New names are climbing, fresh contenders are emerging, and the landscape is shifting.
“I’m excited about it all,” Aspinall said. “I’m not going to start avoiding people now. I’ve always taken any fight that I’ve been offered. If there are big names that people are excited about, that’s a good thing.
“I’ll fight all of them. I’m happy to fight all of them. Anyone who deserves a shot, I’ll fight them.”
