UFC GOAT doubts Tom Aspinall will ever return to the sport following a conversation with injured star

According to Demetrious Johnson, Tom Aspinall will never step foot in the Octagon ever again.

This past Monday, Tom Aspinall announced on social media that he has officially vacated the UFC heavyweight title due to his ongoing injuries.

UFC boss Dana White alluded to potentially stripping the Brit this past weekend when he was asked about a return timeline for the 33-year-old.

That brings to an end a saga that has gone on for almost a year now, when Aspinall was horrifically fouled by Ciryl Gane.

The original plan was for Aspinall to return at UFC 334 to rematch the Frenchman in a title fight, but he unfortunately re-injured his eye during training.

And it is because of his ongoing injuries and no sign of a return that has led former UFC king Demetrious Johnson to predict that Aspinall will never return to the sport.

Fellow UFC legend Michael Bisping had well-documented eye issues throughout his career, and after continuing to fight after his issues, he has been left with one eye.

“I sent Tom Aspinall a message today and I said, ‘Dude, I’m sending good vibes, I’m hoping your eye gets healed’,” Johnson said in a video on his YouTube channel.

“We don’t know if we’ll ever see Tom Aspinall again inside the UFC Octagon. Deep down in my gut, I would say no (he won’t come back). I wouldn’t risk the opportunity of me losing my vision and not being able to see my children, I would be shocked if Tom Aspinall fights again.

“Just because when it comes to fighting and training, that eye is always gonna be compromised. Is he willing to take that risk? I wouldn’t take that risk, this is something he’s gonna be battling for the rest of his life, believe it or not… He could potentially lose his eye… His eye is now a compromised target,” Johnson continued.

Whether the 33-year-old ever returns or not still remains to be seen, however, his recovery could still take in excess of a year.

The former champion has been advised to wait until January before having a fourth surgery on his injured eye, which would then require further rest and recovery.

Ciryl Gane seemingly feels no remorse regarding the situation, as in his reaction to Aspinall dropping his belt, the Frenchman could only state his excitement to defend his undisputed title.