Tom Aspinall has had enough. The UFC heavyweight champion fired back at former interim titleholder Ciryl Gane on Tuesday after Gane posted a training update implying he was still waiting for news on his next fight. Aspinall still recovering from the eye pokes that ended their first bout in a no-contest didn’t appreciate the message.
The pair first met in the main event of UFC 321, where Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes during the opening round. Though ruled unintentional, the foul left Aspinall unable to see, forcing the referee to wave off the fight just minutes into the contest.
Gane’s Training Post Sparks Aspinall’s Fury
Gane shared a photo of himself training with heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa, writing: “Still no date or opponent yet… but we keep grinding and training hard before the holidays.”
Aspinall immediately jumped into the comments with a scathing reply: “No shit there’s not a date yet. I’m not medically cleared to fight and about to have surgery thanks to your disgusting fingernails. I’ll be back to smash your face in soon, you cheat.”
The champion has been vocal about lingering vision issues and the need for surgery following the accidental foul and clearly bristled at Gane’s implication that he was simply waiting around.
Aspinall’s Long Road: From Jon Jones Fallout to No-Contest Chaos
This latest frustration comes after an already tumultuous year for Aspinall.
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He was originally slated to unify the heavyweight titles with Jon Jones, but delays and uncertainty kept him sidelined for months.
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Jones ultimately relinquished his belt and announced his retirement, ending the matchup.
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Aspinall was then elevated to undisputed champion and booked against Gane in October.
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The bout began with explosive action — until multiple eye pokes rendered Aspinall unable to continue.
The result: a no-contest, a damaged eye, and now looming surgery.
No Timeline Yet, But Aspinall Wants the Rematch
Aspinall has not been medically cleared and will undergo surgery to address the injury, meaning no return date is set. But one thing is clear: the champion wants to run it back.
The bad blood is fresh, the scores are unsettled, and Aspinall’s message leaves little doubt about his intentions once he’s healthy.
“I’ll be back… soon.”
And when he does, Gane may be the first name on his hit list.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
