TLDR
- Dana White says Ciryl Gane will not automatically become undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the heavyweight title
- Aspinall gave up the belt after suffering a new injury during training, having not fought since October 2025
- Gane will face Josh Hokit for the undisputed championship at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden
- Betting odds have Gane as the favorite at -235 with Hokit as the underdog at +195
- This will be Gane’s fourth attempt at winning the undisputed UFC heavyweight title in his career
Sources: yardbarker.com | fightbookmma.com | idman.biz
UFC president Dana White has shut down any assumption that Ciryl Gane will automatically become the undisputed heavyweight champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the title. White made the announcement Friday at the UFC 331 ceremonial weigh-ins, telling reporters that Gane must earn the belt in the cage.
“Is Ciryl Gane the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion? No. He still has to fight. He will fight soon,” White told Diana Belbita in an interview.
Aspinall has not fought since October 2025, when his bout against Gane at UFC 321 ended in a no contest. Illegal eye pokes from Gane during what was supposed to be Aspinall’s first title defense forced the stoppage.
The British fighter had reportedly been close to returning to full training and setting a comeback date. However, a fresh injury this week changed those plans when he was struck during a training session, forcing him to relinquish the belt.
#UFC331's Charles Jourdain reflects on his own eye injury after hearing that Tom Aspinall vacated his #UFC heavyweight title:
"I have to admit the guy who poked had smaller fingers than Ciryl Gane. … If I had Ciryl Gane's finger in my eye, maybe I would be blind." pic.twitter.com/Lt0AYChMhw
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 16, 2026
Aspinall’s Path Mirrors How He Won Title
Aspinall originally became champion through a similar situation to what many expected for Gane. He held the interim heavyweight title for an extended period while waiting for a shot at then-champion Jon Jones.
When Jones unexpectedly retired in 2025, Aspinall was elevated to undisputed champion without fighting. Many in the MMA community assumed Gane would follow the same path after winning the interim belt.
Gane, 36, captured the interim heavyweight championship at a UFC event at the White House in June. He defeated Brazil’s Alex Pereira to claim the interim title.
The Frenchman began his professional MMA career in 2018 and joined the UFC the following year. He has compiled a record of 11 wins and two defeats inside the octagon.
Hokit Gets Title Shot at UFC 334
Gane will now defend his championship against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The betting odds were released on June 6 by BetOnline Sports & Casino.
Gane opened as a -150 favorite before the line moved dramatically. The current odds have Gane listed at -235, while Hokit enters as the underdog at +195.
This marks Gane’s fourth attempt at capturing the undisputed UFC heavyweight title during his career. He has previously challenged for the belt three times without success.
The UFC 334 main card will also feature a bantamweight championship fight between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes. Harrison opened as a -155 favorite when the betting line was first released in November 2025.
The current odds have Harrison at -210 and Nunes at +175. The line has moved since opening, with early betting action coming in on Nunes before settling at the current numbers.
White’s decision means the UFC heavyweight division will have a new undisputed champion determined inside the octagon. Gane must now prepare to face Hokit in November to claim the title outright rather than receiving it by default.
