Tom Aspinall Delays UFC Return by 2 Months, Signs Long-Term Matchroom Deal

8 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · May 22

A recent eye scan pushed Aspinall’s comeback back by another couple of months after doctors declined to clear the UFC heavyweight champion to spar or fight.
The delay traces to damage from Ciryl Gane’s eye poke in Aspinall’s first undisputed title defense, a bout that ended in under five minutes as a no-contest.
Aspinall also said he signed a long-term management contract with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, despite concerns about being caught in Hearn’s public friction with UFC CEO Dana White.
White had appeared to downplay the injury, a stance Aspinall said left them out of sync while he remains sidelined and unable to earn.
June 14 now looms as the division’s next pivot point, with Gane and Alex Pereira set to fight for an interim heavyweight belt and Aspinall expected to face the winner.

With an interim title booked and his contract disputed, is the UFC preparing to move on from champion Tom Aspinall?

Can Alex Pereira make history as a three-division champion, or will Ciryl Gane's heavyweight agility derail his monumental bid?

After multiple eye surgeries and lingering vision issues, what does the future truly hold for Tom Aspinall's fighting career?