Tom Aspinall ready to fight Ciryl Gane, awaiting UFC dates

Tom Aspinall is medically cleared and ready to rematch Ciryl Gane, according to statements the UFC heavyweight champion made on his YouTube channel this week.

The British titleholder has been sidelined since an October 2025 bout with Gane ended in a no contest after a severe eye poke forced multiple surgeries. Eight months later, Aspinall told fans the ball is in the promotion's court. "We are just waiting for dates," he said, per MMA Mania. "We told them we can do it in Paris, we can do it wherever they want. We're just waiting for them to let us know."

Gane earned interim belt while Aspinall recovered

While Aspinall recovered from the eye injuries, Gane stepped in at UFC Freedom 250 and dominated Alex Pereira to capture an interim heavyweight strap. The Frenchman has since floated the idea of fighting Aspinall at the UFC's September Paris event, though staging a heavyweight title unification on a Fight Night card during European primetime appears unlikely.

MMA Mania notes that the October Abu Dhabi show, where the pair's first meeting took place, or the November Madison Square Garden date could be stronger candidates for the bout.

One potential roadblock remains Aspinall's contract. The fighter last competed before the UFC moved to Paramount+ and scrapped the pay-per-view model, meaning his deal reportedly needs reworking. Aspinall recently partnered with Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn, who told media the promotion must "just respect the fighter" in upcoming negotiations. The UFC's track record on fighter pay this year has been uneven, with some stars like Conor McGregor expressing satisfaction while others, including Justin Gaethje, were left unhappy after contract adjustments.

For now, the heavyweight champion says he is ready whenever the UFC books the rematch.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall ready to fight Ciryl Gane: ‘We’re just waiting for dates’