The UFC heavyweight champion may finally be ready to return to the octagon ahead of Dana White's major announcement.
After over a year waiting on the sidelines while Jon Jones decided the next step of his career, Aspinall's first fight as the UFC's undisputed heavyweight champion ended in disaster.
Just minutes into the first round, the fight was stopped after Aspinall's opponent Ciryl Gane poked the champion in the eyes, forcing the Brit to retire from the fight.
Since the incidnet, Aspinall has undergone several eye surgeries having been temporarily blinded , raising concerns about when we might see him return to the octagon.
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However, ahead of UFC boss White's biggest announcement of the year so far, Aspinall has teased that he is ready to return in a cryptic social media post.
Ever since Aspinall suffered the devastating eye injury, fans have been eagerly awaiting his return, with either a rematch with Gane or the previously rumoured bout with Jones surely his next outing.
Many had feared that Aspinall could be sidelined for most of the year, with some even suggesting he could be forced to retire, but it appears the heavyweight champion may already be back and ready to defend his title.
Posting on Instagram, the UFC star shared a photo of him boarding a private jet, writing: "Back to business"
Of course, Aspinall could just be intentionally playing into the speculation around his return, especially given his comments in a recent interview regarding a comeback.
Just last month, Aspinall admitted that he 'hated' the business side of the UFC, admitting that he wasn't sure when he would be fit to return to the octagon.
Speaking to Uncrowned, the 32-year-old said: "I'm not even thinking about fighting at the minute.
"All I'm thinking about is getting my health right, so thinking about a return date is pointless until that happens."
However, timing is everything in MMA, and Aspinall choosing to make the post just hours after UFC President and CEO White's latest announcement has raised questions
Dana White confirms he will make White House card announcement this week
In just four months, the UFC will host one of its biggest events of all time, taking place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C in June.
Conor McGregor and Alex Pereira are among the names that have been linked with a fight on the card, with many suggesting that Aspinall finally fighting Jones would be the perfect main event.
Initially, it seemed almost impossible that Aspinall would be back and fit to feature on the card, but him choosing to post the tease on social media just hours after UFC boss White confirmed he would be announcing the White House card is certainly interesting.
"I'll announce the whole card this week. It's done. The card is done," White confirmed on IFL TV.
Topics: UFC, Tom Aspinall, MMA, Dana White
Ben McCrum