Aspinall Undergoes Second Eye Surgery

UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall underwent surgery on his second eye, as he battles the lasting effects of his injury-marred title defense at UFC 321.

Aspinall’s defense against Ciryl Gane resulted in a no-contest after an accidental double-eye poke from the Frenchman meant he could not continue after the first round. Despite retaining his belt, Aspinall has been plagued by severe vision issues, including a diagnosis of bilateral Brown’s syndrome, a condition that causes double vision.

While Aspinall focuses on his health, the heavyweight division continues to move forward. Rumors of an interim heavyweight title have intensified, particularly following the rise of Waldo Cortes-Acosta. After his knockout of Derrick Lewis at UFC 324, Cortes-Acosta has been vocal about wanting an interim belt, proposing matchups against either Ciryl Gane or Alexander Volkov.

Aspinall’s recovery has also been complicated by a public war of words with Dana White. The UFC CEO initially downplayed the severity of the injury, suggesting Aspinall “didn’t want to continue” and later claiming the champion was only receiving “injections.” Aspinall has since countered these claims with photos of his surgical recovery, as he aims to return to action as soon as possible. 

Aspinall Reacts