TLDR
- Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title on Monday after reinjuring his eyes in training
- Dana White says interim champion Ciryl Gane will not be automatically promoted to undisputed champion
- White confirmed Gane must fight to earn the undisputed heavyweight title, with an announcement coming soon
- Gane won the interim title after defeating Alex Pereira at UFC White House this summer
- Aspinall originally injured his eyes when Gane accidentally poked him during their title fight at UFC 321
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com | mmafighting.com
Ciryl Gane will not be automatically promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion despite Tom Aspinall vacating the title due to injury. UFC President Dana White made the announcement this week, saying the interim champion must still fight to earn the undisputed belt.
Aspinall vacated his heavyweight title on Monday after reinjuring his eyes during training. The champion had been dealing with eye problems since his original fight with Gane, where an accidental eye poke caused the initial damage.
White Says Gane Must Fight
Speaking with Diana Belbita at Sportsnet, White was clear about the path forward for Gane. “Does it make him the undisputed champion? No. He’s still got to fight,” White said when asked about the interim champion’s status.
How will Ciryl Gane handle this pressure? pic.twitter.com/fZMBcNxzMH
— WonderBondMMA (@wonderbondmma) September 21, 2026
White added that the UFC expects to announce Gane’s next fight “very soon.” That bout will determine who becomes the new undisputed heavyweight champion.
Gane won the interim heavyweight title with a TKO victory over Alex Pereira at UFC White House this summer. The win was expected to set up a rematch with Aspinall to unify the titles before Aspinall’s latest setback.
The situation creates an unusual dynamic in the heavyweight division. Gane originally caused Aspinall’s eye injuries during their title fight at UFC 321, when an accidental eye poke damaged the champion’s vision.
White confirmed he has no timeline for when Aspinall might return to action. “I don’t know. Obviously, whenever he feels healthy again, whenever his eyes are healed, then we’re ready for him,” White said.
Division Left in Limbo
The UFC appears to be scrambling to determine the next steps for the heavyweight division. White acknowledged the organization doesn’t have a clear path forward yet but says they will figure it out soon.
“We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall,” White said. “Ciryl will fight, and we’ll see who becomes the champion.”
White compared the situation to other recent title vacancies in the UFC. He referenced the current situation with Valentina Shevchenko’s division, noting that title complications are not unprecedented.
“This isn’t like this is the first time this has ever happened, and it’s happening right now with Valentina Shevchenko, too,” White said. “This is nothing new. This happens sometimes, and it’s unfortunate.”
The UFC had originally planned for Gane and Aspinall to unify their titles in a rematch later this year. Those plans are now on hold indefinitely as Aspinall recovers from his eye injuries.
Aspinall could potentially face the winner of whatever bout determines the new undisputed champion, assuming his recovery goes well. However, White provided no specific information about when the former champion might be medically cleared to compete again.
White acknowledged the outcome is not ideal for the heavyweight division but says the UFC will adapt. “Not the best outcome, but it is what it is,” White said.
