Ciryl Gane thought he was finally the undisputed UFC heavyweight champ, didn’t he? Wrong! UFC CEO Dana White just dropped a bombshell Friday, saying Gane won’t automatically get that undisputed title despite Tom Aspinall vacating it earlier this week. Instead, Gane has to win another fight to claim the undisputed belt in his next UFC appearance.
Aspinall’s Eye Injury Just Blew Up the Heavyweight Division
You know why Aspinall even gave up the belt, right? It’s all because of ongoing complications from those brutal eye injuries he suffered against Gane way back in October 2025. Yeah, that infamous title fight where Gane poked him in both eyes midway through the first round, forcing a no-contest. Aspinall’s been sidelined ever since, and get this: his right eye injury is reaggravated, with sources saying it’s “the same as day one” even after he was prepping for a rematch with Gane at UFC 334. White himself said Friday he has no idea when Aspinall’s coming back, just “whenever his eyes are healed.” This is a huge setback, not the best outcome at all.
Gane’s Next Fight Is For EVERYTHING, And Contenders Are Lining Up
So where does that leave Gane? Dude’s still the interim champ, a title he controversially snagged in June after defeating Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250. But White’s clear: Gane has to *fight* for the vacant undisputed title next. “Does it make him the undisputed champion? No, he’s still got to fight,” White told Sportsnet. And who’s lining up for that shot? Pereira is absolutely barking for a rematch, brash contender Josh Hokit wants in on the action, and top-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov is definitely in the title mix too.
White promises Gane will fight “soon, very soon,” but no opponent or date has been set for the Frenchman’s next bout. This whole heavyweight picture is an absolute mess right now, but man, it’s gonna be wild to see who actually steps up and grabs that undisputed gold. Stay tuned, because this one’s just getting started!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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