UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has publicly stated he has no intention of parting ways with the UFC. The clarification came after his boxing coach, Stipe Drvis, claimed on Instagram Live that Aspinall did not want to fight for the organization. Aspinall has been sidelined since October, when his title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest due to eye pokes, and has since undergone multiple eye surgeries. Should he fully recover, a rematch with interim heavyweight champion Gane — who defeated Alex Pereira by TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June — is expected to follow.
Tom Aspinall has moved to shut down speculation about his future with the UFC, publicly denying claims that he wants to leave the organization.
The dispute began when Aspinall's boxing coach, Stipe Drvis, stated on Instagram Live that the heavyweight champion had no desire to continue fighting under the UFC banner. Aspinall responded directly, making clear he has no intention of departing. The episode has nonetheless drawn attention to an uncertain period for the 33-year-old Englishman, who trains out of Team Kaobon and carries a 15-3-0 professional record.
Aspinall has been out of action since October, when his heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest following eye pokes. He has since required multiple eye surgeries, leaving his return timeline unclear. When healthy, the six-foot-five champion is one of the most productive strikers in the division, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at a 67 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Gane, the number-one ranked heavyweight from France, enters any rematch scenario on the back of a strong performance. The 36-year-old, who stands six-foot-four with an 81-inch reach and holds a 14-2-0 record, captured interim heavyweight gold by defeating Alex Pereira by TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June. Gane lands 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy, making him one of the more technically refined heavyweights in the sport.
Why it matters
- Aspinall's clarification keeps him tied to the UFC, but his recovery timeline means the division remains in a holding pattern.
- A potential rematch between Aspinall and Gane would be a unification bout, carrying major divisional stakes at heavyweight.
- The no-contest finish left genuine competitive questions unanswered, giving the rematch strong narrative weight.
