Tom Aspinall’s time as UFC heavyweight champion has been filled with setbacks and uncertainty since he won the interim title against Sergei Pavlovich in 2023. Although Aspinall was next in line to face the undisputed champion Jon Jones, Jones opted to fight Stipe Miocic instead, leaving Aspinall to defend his interim belt against Curtis Blaydes. This created an unusual situation in the division, delaying the unification of the heavyweight title.
After a prolonged waiting period, Jones suddenly announced his retirement in 2025, a decision he later reversed. This departure elevated Aspinall to full champion status, leading to his clash with Ciryl Gane in his first official title defense. Unfortunately, the bout ended abruptly with a no-contest ruling after Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes. The injuries forced Aspinall to undergo eye surgery and step away from competition for an indefinite period.
Claims of Aspinall Being Pressured to Relinquish the Heavyweight Belt
Despite no official confirmation from either Tom Aspinall or the UFC, former UFC fighter Josh Thomson recently claimed that Aspinall is being pressured to give up his heavyweight title. In a video posted on social media, Thomson explained that the organization requested Aspinall to vacate the belt during his recovery. According to Thomson, Aspinall insisted that he would only do so if UFC President Dana White and the company agree to release him from his contract.
“The UFC asked Tom Aspinall to vacate the title until he was ready to go, and he said he’ll be ready to vacate the title as long as they release him. Now that opens the door so he can go ahead and box. This is a really weird situation. The heavyweight division is just a total s**t show right now.” – Josh Thomson, Former UFC Fighter
Thomson further expressed frustration about the state of the heavyweight division, pointing to the release of Jailton Almeida as well as uncertainty surrounding Aspinall and Jones as signs that the organization is facing a severe shortage of talent in two critical weight classes.
“Jailton Almeida is gone; they just released him. Tom Aspinall, if he is gone, Jon Jones, it doesn’t seem like he is coming back, especially not to the heavyweight division. We have a mess, we have a disaster on our hands. The heavyweight division and the 205 [pound] division are the worst they have ever been.” – Josh Thomson, Former UFC Fighter
Implications for the Future of the UFC Heavyweight Division
The possible vacating of Tom Aspinall’s UFC heavyweight title could deepen the crisis within a division once regarded as UFC’s strongest pillar. With key fighters like Jon Jones stepping away from heavyweight competition, and emerging talents like Jailton Almeida no longer part of the roster, the division faces a critical talent drought. Aspinall’s current hiatus due to eye surgery and his reported tension with the UFC about his contractual status add to the instability.
This turmoil threatens to stall the momentum in the heavyweight category, leaving fans and fighters uncertain about who will lead the division next. How the UFC navigates this situation will significantly influence the organization’s ability to maintain competitive and compelling heavyweight matchups going forward.
Will the UFC let Tom Aspinall walk ? The HW and LHW divisions are in shambles after being the back bone of the UFC and the sport of MMA since the beginning. How does the UFC fix this? pic.twitter.com/SaWOhtB7ak
— Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) February 12, 2026
