TLDR
- Tom Aspinall has been out nearly one year after suffering eye pokes in his first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321
- Former champion Henry Cejudo called for Aspinall to vacate the heavyweight belt while he recovers from eye surgery
- Ciryl Gane won interim heavyweight gold at UFC Freedom 250 by defeating Alex Pereira at the White House
- Pereira has disputed the result due to uncalled strikes to the back of the head during the fight
- Rising heavyweight Josh Hokit is 10-0 with four UFC wins and has criticized Pereira for seeking a rematch
Sources: youtube.com | si.com
Former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo believes Tom Aspinall should give up the heavyweight title while he recovers from a serious eye injury. Aspinall has been out of action for nearly a year with no clear return date.
Aspinall became the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion in summer 2025 after Jon Jones retired. The 33-year-old British fighter was promoted from interim champion to full champion.
His first title defense took place last October at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane. The fight ended badly in the first round when Aspinall could not continue after suffering eye pokes from Gane.
Aspinall had surgery on both eyes after the fight. Doctors still have not given a timeline for when he can return to fighting.
🚨 Dana White says Tom Aspinall is still hurt:
"Tom Aspinall is hurt. Until we hear differently, the heavyweight division will keep rolling." pic.twitter.com/CDOtQqQVxm
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 9, 2026
Cejudo Wants Division to Move Forward
Cejudo made his comments this week during an interview with Mike Bohn. The former bantamweight and flyweight champion is also a future UFC Hall of Famer.
“Tom, give up the title bro,” Cejudo said. “Give up the title, let your eye recover, and that’s it.”
Cejudo suggested the UFC should book a fight between the winner of Josh Hokit versus Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane. That fight would be for the undisputed heavyweight championship.
The UFC created an interim heavyweight title while Aspinall recovered. Ciryl Gane won that interim belt at UFC Freedom 250, which took place at the White House.
Gane defeated Alex Pereira in that fight. It was the second time Gane has won interim heavyweight gold in his career.
Pereira Disputes Loss to Gane
Pereira has spent months arguing about the result of his fight with Gane. He claims referee Herb Dean missed illegal strikes to the back of his head during the bout.
Pereira tried to become a champion in three different weight classes. He currently holds titles in two divisions.
Some fans think the UFC might book an immediate rematch between Pereira and Gane. However, even hardcore Pereira fans do not seem excited about seeing that fight again right away.
Josh Hokit represents another option for the heavyweight division. The 28-year-old fighter has a perfect 10-0 record in professional MMA.
Hokit joined the UFC last year after winning on Dana White’s Contender Series. He stopped Guilherme Uriel in the second round to earn his contract.
The rising heavyweight has won all four of his UFC fights. He knocked out his first two opponents before defeating Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 in what some called a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
Hokit also knocked out Derrick Lewis at the UFC White House card in June. That victory added to his growing reputation in the heavyweight division.
Hokit has publicly criticized Pereira for wanting a rematch with Gane. He believes Pereira should accept the loss and move on to other fights.
Aspinall currently ranks #6 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. The UFC has not announced any plans regarding the heavyweight title situation while Aspinall continues his recovery.
