UFC Champion Tom Aspinall Eager to Come Back but May Not Compete in 2026, Admits Eddie Hearn

It has been more than 10 months since UFC heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, last competed in the promotion.

UFC Champion Tom Aspinall Eager to Come Back but May Not Compete in 2026, Admits Eddie Hearn

Tom Aspinall and Eddie Hearn (Image via MMA Mania)

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall last fought in October 2025 at UFC 321. The title fight saw him unable to continue fighting due to the eye-pokes from Ciryl Gane. Since then, he has had double eye surgeries to fix the issue. Nevertheless, he’s not medically cleared to compete.

Some time after the UFC 321 no-contest ending, Aspinall signed with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency to sort out his commercial dealings. Since then, Hearn has given more updates about the heavyweight champion’s future than anyone else.

After Gane won the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250, there has been no announcement regarding a title unification bout. The boxing promoter recently revealed what’s holding the return of Aspinall back during an interview with Ariel Helwani.

I’d like to say true. The problem isn’t really how he feels, it’s whether he’s medically ready to fight and what the commission or the medicals would say. He’s training, he’s ready, he’s eager to come back. But you can’t afford with that kind of injury to make a poor decision and come back too early… it can cost you your eyesight.

Eddie Hearn told Ariel Helwani

Aspinall took nearly six months after UFC 321 to return to training. At one point, he didn’t want to come back due to the MMA community lambasting him for the no-contest ending of UFC 321 instead of Gane. It has been a trouble year for the British heavyweight.

Despite verbally accepting a title unification bout against Ciryl Gane, the UFC has yet to reveal what they plan to do. This inactivity period has upset other heavyweight contenders as well. Polarizing star Josh Hokit is now constantly targeting Aspinall with a campaign to get him cut from the UFC.

The only way for Aspinall to shut the haters up is with a dominant victory inside the octagon. However, medical professionals needs to give him the go-ahead to compete again.

In these troubling times, rumors started to swirl that Aspinall may never compete in the UFC again. Both Aspinall and UFC CEO Dana White has come out and dispelled that rumor completely.

So far, it doesn’t look likely that Aspinall will compete in 2026. With the always changing landscape in MMA, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Brit returned later this year or early next year.

RELATED
UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall Shuts Down Rumors Of Potential UFC Exit After Months of Inactivity

Eddie Hearn has learned a lot about the MMA industry after signing Tom Aspinall

Signing Tom Aspinall and Ian Machado Garry has given a new insight for Eddie Hearn about the MMA industry. Since then, the British boxing promoter has remained overly critical about UFC contracts.

Tom Aspinall with Eddie Hearn
Tom Aspinall with Eddie Hearn (Image via MMA Fighting)

Hearn criticized the contract of Aspinall not too long ago. He has revealed that the promotion is not sharing a good amount of revenue back to the fighters. With that, Hearn told Helwani that TKO/UFC may not hold much power in the industry due to other groups coming into MMA.

TKO/UFC, they don’t want fighters to have a choice or an option. They want to be the only shop in town and the only chance you have to have a career. The moment there are competitive offers coming in from rival organizations, that’s a disaster for them. The issue now in MMA is that you have options… I know for a fact there are some big boys coming into town in the world of MMA… If you’re a free agent or getting close to free agency, you’re in a great spot, especially if you have value.

Eddie Hearn told Ariel Helwani

Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s MVP recently acquired PFL and Scott Coker is also returning with a new MMA promotion. Hearn must be talking about those developments when talking about how fighters could get better offers outside the UFC.

Also Read: