Manager Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport has issued a statement after his client, Tom Aspinall, vacated the UFC heavyweight title.
On Monday, Aspinall announced that, due to injuries, he cannot be medically cleared to defend the UFC heavyweight title at this time.
Instead of holding up the division, Aspinall did the right thing and vacated the belt, allowing interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane to be promoted to undisputed champion.
Eddie Hearn Statement on Tom Aspinall
Per combat sports reporter Chisanga Malata, here is Hearn’s statement on Aspinall vacating his title.
“This has been an incredibly challenging time for Tom. But he has shown his total class throughout. Everyone at Matchroom is with him every step of the way. We are confident that he will succeed in his ultimate goal to return to the Octagon and reclaim the title that is rightfully his,” Hearn said.
“This has been an incredibly challenging time for Tom.
“But he has shown his total class throughout. Everyone at Matchroom is with him every step of the way.
“We are confident that he will succeed in his
Tom Aspinall Did the Right Thing
Instead of holding up the heavyweight division, Aspinall did the right thing and gave up his title, allowing other heavyweight fighters to reach their goal of holding UFC gold, instead of continuing to hold up the weight class.
Aspinall has not fought since UFC 321 in October 2025, so he has been out for nearly one year, and with no fight on the horizon since he cannot be medically cleared, it was possible taht he wouldn’t return to 2027 — if at all.
Right now, there is no timetable whatsoever for Aspinall’s return to the Octagon, so it’s completely unknown when he will come back to the cage and fight for the belt again.
One would imagine that Aspinall would be given an immediate title shot upon his return to the UFC, whenever that is, though at this time no one seems to know when that will be.
The Brit has been dealt plenty of bad luck in recent years, between his injuries and former UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones holding up his career by refusing to fight him. Aspinall is one of the sport’s top heavyweight fighters, but he has rarely been able to show what he can do in recent years.
Eddie Hearn Issues Statement on Tom Aspinall Vacating UFC Belt