Tom Aspinall says his eye injury is healing and he will soon receive clearance to return to full contact training. According to Aspinall, the UFC has informed him that his next fight will be against the winner of Alex Pereira versus Ciryl Gane. Aspinall stated that the two fighters should fight each other first, then recover, and once everyone is ready, they can schedule his bout. This confirms Aspinall is being positioned as the next heavyweight title challenger, pending the outcome of Pereira-Gane.
Tom Aspinall has revealed that UFC officials have told him his next fight will be against the winner of Alex Pereira versus Ciryl Gane, positioning the interim heavyweight champion as the division's next title challenger.
Aspinall, 33, also confirmed that an eye injury he has been managing is on the mend, and that he expects to receive medical clearance for full contact training in the near future. Speaking on the matter, Aspinall said he believes Pereira and Gane should fight, take time to recover, and then the matchup with him can be scheduled once all parties are ready.
The Englishman carries a 15-3-0 record into that prospective bout and stands six-foot-five with a 78-inch reach. A product of Team Kaobon in Liverpool, Aspinall ranks sixth pound-for-pound in the UFC and has established himself as one of the most dangerous heavyweights on the roster, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 67 percent while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Standing across from him will be either Pereira or Gane. Pereira, 38, is the reigning light heavyweight champion now operating at heavyweight, carrying a 13-4-0 record. The Brazilian stands six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach and lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 62 percent accuracy. Gane, also six-foot-four but boasting a longer 81-inch reach, comes in ranked second in the heavyweight division with a 14-2-0 record. The Frenchman, 36, lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy and trains out of MMA Factory in Paris.
Why it matters
- Aspinall's next opponent will be determined by the Pereira-Gane outcome, making that fight a de facto heavyweight title eliminator.
- A win for Pereira would set up a cross-division champion clash at heavyweight; a Gane win would create a rematch of the 2022 interim title fight that Gane lost.
- Aspinall's elite striking volume and takedown threat present a distinct stylistic challenge for either man.
