Story perspectives

Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title for medical clearance

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 12:08 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Aspinall Vacates Title

Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title because he cannot obtain medical clearance.
His injuries began after an eye poke by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October 2025.
He was diagnosed with traumatic bilateral Brown’s syndrome and has undergone multiple surgeries.
He announced on Monday via Instagram that he is “absolutely gutted.”
Interim champion Ciryl Gane may be promoted to undisputed champion.

Summary

Cejudo Urges Aspinall

Henry Cejudo urged Tom Aspinall to vacate his UFC heavyweight spot and proposed a Josh Hokit-Alex Pereira showdown.
Alex Pereira publicly demanded an immediate rematch with interim champion Ciryl Gane after his June defeat.
Josh Hokit entered the heavyweight division unbeaten at 10-0, recently knocking out Derrick Lewis and Curtis Blaydes.
Despite announcing full training in June, Tom Aspinall has not received a UFC fight date.

History

Historical Context

In 2011 Brock Lesnar retired from the UFC after diverticulitis surgery, ending his heavyweight championship reign. His departure cost the promotion millions and followed a pattern where injuries have forced champions to vacate titles, a trend echoed by Tom Aspinall’s 2025 eye-poke withdrawal. Lesnar’s UFC 121 bout drew roughly 1.05 million pay-per-view buys, showing how star health can shape UFC revenue.

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Aspinall Vacates Title

Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title because he cannot obtain medical clearance.
His injuries began after an eye poke by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October 2025.
He was diagnosed with traumatic bilateral Brown’s syndrome and has undergone multiple surgeries.
He announced on Monday via Instagram that he is “absolutely gutted.”
Interim champion Ciryl Gane may be promoted to undisputed champion.

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