Dana White confirms what's next for the UFC heavyweight title after Tom Aspinall vacates
Dana White has confirmed that Ciryl Gane will not be promoted to undisputed heavyweight champion, and must fight for the UFC title, after Tom Aspinall relinquished his strap.
White also revealed that Gane will fight “very soon” for the UFC title, then added “this isn’t the first time this has ever happened,” amid criticism directed at the CEO’s decision.
“We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall. [Gane] will fight and we’ll see who becomes champion. This is nothing new,” claimed the 57-year-old.
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Dana White discusses Tom Aspinall’s UFC future and Ciryl Gane title fight
“This happens sometimes, it’s unfortunate,” continued White. “This isn’t like it’s the first time it’s ever happened. It’s not the best outcome, but it is what it is.
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UFC icon Valentina Shevchenko was also forced to relinquish her flyweight strap in early September through injury; the Ukrainian is set to be sidelined for up to 12 months.
Natalia Silva and Wang Cong will each receive opportunities at UFC flyweight glory, with a fight for Shevchenko’s vacated title scheduled at UFC 332 on October 3.
When quizzed for updates regarding Aspinall’s condition, who was forced to release his UFC heavyweight title through injury, the CEO offered little.
“I don’t know [when he’s going to be back],” stated White. “Obviously, whenever he feels healthy again, whenever his eyes are healed, then we’re ready for him.
The CEO then confirmed that Gane, despite being the UFC heavyweight division’s interim champion, ‘still has to fight’ for Aspinall’s vacated title.
“Does it [automatically] make him the undisputed champion,” pondered White, repeating the question he fielded. “No. He’s still gotta fight. [That will be] soon, very soon,” he stated, plainly.
Gane is not perceived as a UFC fan favourite, having secured villain status by beating an ever-popular Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight title in June.
After his victory, the Frenchman called out Aspinall, who fought Gane to a ‘No Contest’ at UFC 321 in late 2025, for a rematch.
In that bout, the interim heavyweight champion came under fire for repeatedly poking Aspinall’s eyes, which likely contributed to the Englishman’s UFC lay-off.
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Aspinall’s injury history following ‘No Contest’ with Gane at UFC 321
Aspinall has been sidelined since October 2025, after receiving several eye pokes from Gane in their heavyweight UFC bout.
The Englishman, once slated to return in 2026, revealed on Monday that his recovery timeline is “unclear” after an unexpected setback.
“I had previously agreed to a fight date and was back sparring, feeling great and ready to compete when an accident caused further damage to my right eye,” wrote Aspinall on Instagram.
“This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear. Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. I’ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing.
“I’ll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible,” wrote the Englishman, confirming his decision to vacate the UFC heavyweight title.
Aspinall also appeared to jab at Gane’s eye-poking conduct during their UFC bout, placing blame at the Frenchman’s feet for his injury lay-off.
“What makes this particularly difficult is that many of the complications I’m dealing with are a result of fouls that changed the course of my career,” continued the 33-year-old.
“Fighters rely on officials to enforce the rules and protect us in those moments, and it’s hard to still be dealing with the consequences today,” concluded Aspinall.
It remains unclear who Gane will next fight for the Englishman’s relinquished strap, but White remains insistent that the Frenchman will attain his desired title through another UFC fight, not automatically.
Topics: UFC, Dana White, Tom Aspinall, MMA
Kedar Bayley