Dana White was asked for an update on Tom Aspinall’s eye and his response was humorous.
Aspinall is the reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion, but he is left in limbo given the state of his eyes. Ciryl Gane accidentally poked Aspinall’s eyes during their Oct. 2025 bout and the titleholder could not continue. Since then, Aspinall has said he needed surgery on both his eyes.
White’s initial comments on Aspinall’s eye issues drew the ire of the heavyweight champion. Aspinall was led to believe that White insinuated he looked for a way out against Gane.
During the UFC 324 post-fight press conference, White was asked for an update on Aspinall’s status. The UFC boss had quite the response.
“Oh Jesus,” White said. “Don’t let me talk about Tom Aspinall’s eye. Apparently, he’s going in for his second surgery or just had it. By surgery, I mean injections. I have no idea. Get a quote from him. God [expletive] forbid I say something about it.”
There’s no word on when Aspinall will be cleared to return to action. White and the UFC brass were hoping to quickly rebook Aspinall vs. Gane, but the status of the heavyweight champion remains unclear.
It’s been tough sledding at the top of the UFC heavyweight division. There was the holdup when UFC attempted to book a title unification bout between Jon Jones and Aspinall, but it never materialized. Now, the holdup is due to Aspinall’s aforementioned eye problems.
The division continues trucking along. During the UFC 324 card this past Saturday, Waldo Cortes-Acosta scored a second-round TKO finish over Derrick Lewis. The No. 5-ranked UFC heavyweight could be a future opponent for both Aspinall and Gane if the stars align.
Do you think the relationship between Dana White and Tom Aspinall has soured? Tell us in the comment section below.