Overview
- Aspinall posted a short statement on Wednesday saying “I’m not leaving the UFC” and that he and the promotion are talking every day, directly refuting a coach’s live-stream claim that he would never fight for the company again.
- The champion has been sidelined since the October no-contest with Ciryl Gane after repeated eye pokes and has undergone multiple eye surgeries; several outlets report he was medically cleared to resume training in July but no return date has been announced.
- Aspinall signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency in March, a move that has produced public friction with UFC leadership and added complexity to contract and scheduling talks.
- Ciryl Gane captured an interim heavyweight title in June and is the expected unification opponent, but the rematch remains unbooked and contenders and commentators are urging the UFC to either set a date or resolve the belt situation.
- What to watch next: negotiations between Aspinall’s camp and the UFC, whether the promotion targets a late-year slot such as UFC 334 in November, and how the management dispute could affect the champ’s ability to defend the title and his long-term earnings.