UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has indicated that his recovery from a recent eye injury is progressing well, and he anticipates being cleared for contact training in the near future. Aspinall sustained a double eye poke during his title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. The bout was ultimately ruled a no-contest, allowing Aspinall to retain his championship belt.
Following the incident, Aspinall underwent surgery for his eyes. While he has been able to return to the gym for training in recent months, he has not yet received medical clearance for sparring. During Aspinall’s absence, Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira are set to compete for the interim heavyweight championship on June 14. The winner of this fight is expected to face Aspinall in a title unification bout later this year.
Tom Aspinall Shares Injury Update
In a recent video message shared with fans, Tom Aspinall provided an update on his eye injury. He expressed optimism about his recovery, stating that his vision is healing effectively and that doctors may soon grant him permission to resume sparring. Aspinall confirmed he is back in training but currently without sparring.
“Things are progressing very well, which I am very happy about. They are indicating that if things continue to improve as they are, I will soon be cleared for contact. I’ve returned to the gym and am training, but still no sparring.”
While Aspinall remains uncertain about the exact timing of his return to the octagon, he is confident that he will face the winner of the interim heavyweight championship bout, a sentiment that has been echoed by the UFC. The specific date for his comeback fight will depend on the UFC’s schedule and his medical clearance.
Watch Tom Aspinall’s comments below:
🚨 Tom Aspinall says his eye is healing well and he’ll be cleared for contact training soon
He says his return fight will be against the winner of Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane 👀
‘Those two gotta fight each other. Let them do their thing first, recover from that, and when… pic.twitter.com/xqPW37MOuI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 3, 2026