Dana White says heavyweight division will keep rolling as Aspinall's return date stays unset

Dana White has spoken about Tom Aspinall again without adding a single new detail about when the heavyweight champion might fight. Speaking at the press conference following week five of the Contender Series, in remarks published on 9 September, the UFC president made it clear the promotion has stopped building its calendar around him.

“No, I mean Tom Aspinall's hurt. Until we hear differently, the heavyweight division will just keep rolling,” White said.

That is a statement of intent rather than a decision. White did not say Aspinall would be stripped, did not announce a unification bout or an interim title defence, and gave no timeline of any kind.

Eleven months out

Aspinall has not competed since 25 October 2025, when he headlined UFC 321 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. His first defence of the undisputed heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane was halted at 4:35 of round one after an accidental double eye poke. Aspinall could not continue once the break expired and the bout was officially ruled a no contest.

That is now close to eleven months on the sidelines. Aspinall's record stands at 15-3, with an 8-1 mark inside the UFC.

Four operations and a licensing question

The most specific information about the injury has come from Aspinall's manager Eddie Hearn rather than from the UFC. Speaking to Ariel Helwani on 3 September, Hearn set out where things actually stand.

• Aspinall has undergone four eye operations, and Hearn describes the damage as “still an ongoing issue”.
• Further testing is required, with athletic commission clearance the last hurdle before any booking.
• Asked whether Aspinall would fight before the end of 2026, Hearn answered: “I'd like to say true.”

“The problem is if he's actually medically ready to fight. Not in terms of how he feels, but in terms of what the commission would say or what the medical would say,” Hearn said. “He's training. He's eager to come back. But you can't afford in that kind of injury to make a poor decision and come back too early, because it cannot just cost you your health. It can cost you your eyesight.”

The belt has already split

The division has not waited. On 15 June 2026, Gane stopped Alex Pereira in the second round at UFC Freedom 250 — the promotion's White House card — to take the interim heavyweight title. Gane is now 14-2 overall and 11-2 in the UFC.

Pereira has disputed the finish, arguing that shots to the back of the head shaped the ending, and he has been vocal about wanting an immediate rematch. Josh Hokit has also pitched himself at Gane rather than waiting on the champion. Neither fight has been booked.

What is still unresolved

No formal ruling on Aspinall's title has been issued. White's “until we hear differently” leaves the door open both ways, but the message to the rest of the division is straightforward enough: the schedule is no longer being held for a fighter who cannot yet be licensed.

Until a commission signs off, any return date remains an ambition rather than an announcement — and that applies equally to Hearn's optimism and to the speculation about which card might host the comeback.