TLDR
- Tom Aspinall posted training footage on Instagram, showing him hitting pads and working out after months away from the gym
- The UFC heavyweight champion underwent two eye surgeries after suffering severe injuries from eye pokes by Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October
- Aspinall said he hopes to fight before the end of 2026 and that his recovery is progressing well
- Alex Pereira will fight Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC White House on June 14, setting up Aspinall’s next opponent
- Aspinall recently signed with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom talent agency, raising questions about his UFC future
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | independent.co.uk | mmamania.com
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is back in the gym after spending months recovering from serious eye injuries. The British fighter posted training footage to Instagram on Friday showing him hitting pads and working out.
Aspinall has not fought since October 2025, when his title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a no contest. Gane landed multiple eye pokes on Aspinall during the first round, forcing the fight to be stopped.
The 32-year-old from Wigan underwent two surgeries on his eyes following the incident. For several months, Aspinall expressed uncertainty about whether he could continue his fighting career.
Recovery Progressing After Complications
Aspinall provided a positive update on his condition during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. When asked if he would fight before the end of 2026, he said, “I hope so, I hope so. I think so.”
He explained that doctors have told him his recovery is moving in the right direction. “There was a time when things were all up in the air, because we had some complications with it, but everything now is moving good, and I’m feeling a lot better,” Aspinall said.
Tom Aspinall says Jon Jones wasn’t scared of him. 🫡👀
"I don't think he's scared of anybody. I think he wanted the right financial pay. But he did get offered $30 million. That's a lot of money."
(via FFTV with Grace Neutral) pic.twitter.com/is7KJvQCTg
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) March 20, 2026
The champion noted that he can see clear improvement in his vision. “Vision is something that you use every second of every day, so mate, I’m feeling really good about it at the moment,” he told Helwani.
In the training footage shared on Instagram, Aspinall can be seen striking pads at full strength and throwing a heavy bag. He captioned the videos “back to it” and “coming for it all,” which he described as “light training.”
Interim Title Fight Set for June
While Aspinall recovers, the UFC is moving forward with an interim heavyweight title fight. Alex Pereira will move up from light heavyweight to face Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House.
The winner of that bout is expected to face Aspinall in a title unification fight. If Aspinall’s recovery continues to progress well, he could potentially return in the second half of 2026.
Pereira is attempting to become the first three-division champion in UFC history. The Brazilian previously held the middleweight title before winning the light heavyweight belt, which he vacated this month to move up to heavyweight.
Gane is a former interim heavyweight champion who has failed to win undisputed gold three times. Before his no contest with Aspinall, the Frenchman lost title fights to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.
Aspinall recently made headlines by signing with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn as part of Matchroom’s new talent agency. The move raised eyebrows because of Hearn’s ongoing rivalry with UFC president Dana White.
White is currently heading up a new boxing venture called Zuffa Boxing. Many fans saw Aspinall’s decision to sign with Hearn as a subtle form of payback to White following reports of growing tensions between them.
Aspinall’s current UFC record stands at 8-1, with an overall MMA record of 15-3. It remains unclear how many fights he has left on his existing UFC contract as new opportunities continue to emerge in both MMA and boxing.
