Tom Aspinall (15-3, 1 NC MMA, 8-1, 1 NC UFC) is still not medically authorized to return to training for an eventual rematch against Ciryl Gane (13-2, 1 NC MMA, 10-2, 1 NC UFC) for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Aspinall, who was elevated to permanent UFC Heavyweight Champion in the wake of Jon Jones’ (28-1, 1 NC MMA, 22-1, 1 NC UFC) sudden retirement this past June, made his first defense of the strap in October during UFC 321.
The defense of the belt culminated in a most inauspicious fashion when in the first round, Tom Aspinall suffered an eye poke, compromising his sight.