TLDR
- Tom Aspinall called Ciryl Gane a ‘cheat’ after Gane posted about waiting for his next fight
- Aspinall revealed he needs eye surgery due to damage from eye pokes in their UFC 321 fight
- Their October bout ended in a no-contest after Gane poked Aspinall in the eyes during round one
- Aspinall is not medically cleared to fight and has no timeline for his return
- The UFC heavyweight champion promised to return and ‘smash Gane’s face in’ once recovered
Sources: MMA Fighting | SPORTbible | Bloody Elbow
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall fired back at Ciryl Gane on social media, calling the French fighter a “cheat” and blaming him for an upcoming eye surgery.
The heated exchange began Tuesday when Gane posted a photo from training with fellow heavyweight Tai Tuivasa. Gane wrote that he still had no date or opponent scheduled but was continuing to train hard before the holidays.
Aspinall responded directly in Gane’s Instagram comments with harsh words. “No shit there’s not a date yet,” Aspinall wrote. “I’m not medically cleared to fight and about to have surgery thanks to your disgusting fingernails.”
Tom Aspinall just went OFF on Ciryl Gane in his comments 😳
"No sh*t there’s not a date yet. I’m not medically cleared to fight and about to have surgery thanks to your disgusting fingernails 👍 I’ll be back to smash your face in soon you cheat." pic.twitter.com/xZyKKY83ru
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 16, 2025
The British fighter added: “I’ll be back to smash your face in soon you cheat.”
Controversial No-Contest at UFC 321
The feud stems from their October fight at UFC 321, which ended in disappointing fashion after just a few minutes. Gane poked Aspinall in the eyes during the opening round of their main event clash.
The referee deemed the foul unintentional, but Aspinall was unable to see and could not continue. The fight was stopped and declared a no-contest.
Aspinall was defending his undisputed heavyweight title for the first time in that bout. He had been elevated to full champion earlier in 2025 after Jon Jones relinquished the belt and retired from the sport.
The Aspinall-Gane matchup came after nearly a year of Aspinall waiting to unify titles with Jones. When Jones decided against that fight and walked away from MMA, Aspinall became the undisputed champion and was quickly booked against Gane.
Recovery Timeline Remains Unclear
Aspinall has stated publicly that he continues to deal with vision problems from the eye pokes. He confirmed in his response to Gane that surgery is now required to repair the damage.
No timeline has been given for when Aspinall might be cleared to compete again. The champion remains focused on his recovery while making it clear he wants to settle the score with Gane.
UFC interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall has confirmed he’s undergoing eye surgery, firing back at Ciryl Gane in the process 👀💥
A major development in the heavyweight title picture.Read more via @sportbible ⬇️
👉 https://t.co/sqtsKlj5SX— Onchain Blog 🌐 (@OnchainNewsBlog) December 17, 2025
This marks the latest chapter in an increasingly bitter rivalry between the two heavyweights. Aspinall has repeatedly referenced the eye pokes in interviews and social media posts since the fight.
Gane has not publicly responded to Aspinall’s latest comments. The former interim champion appears to be staying active in training while waiting for word on his next opponent.
Aspinall’s recovery and return will determine when the rematch can take place. The UFC has not announced any plans for either fighter’s next bout.
