UFC Considering Stripping Tom Aspinall of Heavyweight Championship

Sep 13, 2026 at 03:52 PM EDT

Sep 13, 2026 at 03:53 PM EDT

It's been a year since UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall last defended his belt, and based on recent remarks from Dana White, there could be action taken against him for failing to do so.

After Saturday night's Noche UFC: Silva vs. Delgado, White appeared at the post-event press conference. A reporter brought up Aspinall not having defended his championship in so long, and whether they might ask him to vacate it.

"We'll definitely be talking about that. Valentina [Shevchenko] doesn't want to tie up the division. And I'm assuming Tom feels the same way. I don't know personally where he is health-wise. We should clear that up soon," the UFC president and CEO said.

White's comment referred to Shevchenko vacating the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship due to injury. She was originally going to defend the belt at UFC 332 on Oct. 3, 2026, but had to withdrew due to suffering an injury that will keep her out of action for a year.

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At last October's UFC 321, Aspinall got accidentally poked in the eye twice during his fight against Ciryl Gane. The fight was ruled a no contest, and although Aspinall retained his championship, he suffered eye injuries. According to ESPN, these required multiple surgeries.

It was reported that Aspinall's surgeries would be completed by mid-January, but at the time of the report, no timeline was given for his return to fighting.

Aspinall seemed intent on returning to fight, but nothing has been set up involving him. A Forbes report noted speculation that a rematch between Gane and Aspinall could headline UFC 334 in New York City's Madison Square Garden in November.

As of this writing, UFC hasn't announced the headline fight for that event's fight card, so something could be coming soon.

Aspinall signed a management deal with manager Eddie Hearn's new talent agency, Matchroom Talent Agency, in February. Hearn also suggested Aspinall would need a new contract with UFC.

Earlier this month, Sherdog reported that Aspinall wasn't ready to fight yet, adding to the drama and controversy about him holding a major championship without defending it.

Some critics contended that Hearn's ongoing feud with White might have soured Aspinall's relationship with UFC and could end ultimately force UFC's hand in taking away his championship. That remains to be seen, but White's recent remarks seem to suggest either a fight will be set up or UFC will ensure Aspinall gives up his championship.

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