Tom Aspinall Facing Pressure to Vacate UFC Heavyweight Title

Former fighter Josh Thomson claims UFC asked Aspinall to relinquish belt during recovery from eye injury

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is reportedly facing pressure from the organization to vacate his title while recovering from an eye injury, according to former fighter Josh Thomson. Thomson says Aspinall has agreed to relinquish the belt, but only if the UFC releases him from his contract, which would allow him to potentially pursue boxing opportunities. This comes amid turmoil in the UFC's heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions, with the departure of fighters like Jon Jones and the recent release of Jailton Almeida.

Why it matters

Aspinall's potential departure would further destabilize the UFC's heavyweight division, which has already faced significant talent drain in recent years. The division is considered a core part of the UFC's identity, and its struggles to maintain top contenders and champions could impact the organization's overall competitiveness and appeal to fans.

The details

Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight title in 2023 by defeating Sergei Pavlovich, and was then elevated to undisputed champion when Jon Jones suddenly retired in 2025. However, Aspinall's first title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke, forcing Aspinall to undergo surgery and step away from competition. According to Thomson, the UFC has now asked Aspinall to vacate the title during his recovery, but Aspinall is only willing to do so if the promotion releases him from his contract.

  • Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight title in 2023.
  • Jones retired from the UFC in 2025, elevating Aspinall to undisputed champion.
  • Aspinall's title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest due to an eye poke in 2026.
  • Aspinall has been recovering from eye surgery since the Gane fight.

The players

Tom Aspinall

The current UFC heavyweight champion who is facing pressure to vacate his title while recovering from an eye injury.

Josh Thomson

A former UFC fighter who recently claimed that the organization has asked Aspinall to relinquish the heavyweight title.

Dana White

The president of the UFC, who Thomson says would need to agree to release Aspinall from his contract in order for the champion to vacate the title.

Jon Jones

A former UFC light heavyweight champion who recently retired from the organization, further destabilizing the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Jailton Almeida

A UFC fighter who was recently released from the organization, adding to the talent drain in the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions.

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What they’re saying

“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 (Twitter)

“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 (Twitter)

What’s next

The UFC will need to decide whether to allow Aspinall to vacate the heavyweight title on his own terms or to strip him of the belt, which could further complicate the division's leadership and direction.

The takeaway

The potential loss of Tom Aspinall, along with the recent departures of other top heavyweight and light heavyweight fighters, highlights the critical talent shortage facing the UFC's premier divisions. The organization will need to act quickly to shore up its roster and provide clarity on the future of the heavyweight title in order to maintain the division's competitiveness and appeal to fans.