Dana White confirms that Tom Aspinall vs Alex Pereira would've been booked for UFC Freedom 250

Tom Aspinall has been out of action for the past several months owing to his eye injury issues. Nevertheless, certain sections of the MMA community had speculated about whether he'd be able to recover and return on time for the upcoming UFC White House card. 

Unfortunately, the British mixed martial arts star couldn't. Aspinall recently opened up about his recovery timeline, asserting that he hasn't been fully cleared to spar yet and would likely need another couple of months to do so. 

In the meantime, former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titlist Alex Pereira has been roped in to fight ex-interim UFC heavyweight champ Ciryl Gane.

They'll clash for the interim UFC heavyweight belt in the co-headlining match at the UFC Freedom 250 (aka UFC White House) event at the White House in Washington on June 14. 

Tom Aspinall's new manager, Eddie Hearn, has lately taken aim at Dana White and the UFC

Tom Aspinall last fought in October of 2025, retaining his UFC heavyweight title in an NC (No Contest) against Ciryl Gane after the latter's eye pokes rendered him unable to continue fighting. 

The towering heavyweight has since indicated that the eye poke-induced injuries have necessitated multiple surgeries.. Moreover, his new manager, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, has lately lambasted UFC CEO and president Dana White. 

Hearn has accused White of severely underpaying Aspinall and even asked the UFC head honcho to release the heavyweight titlist from his contract to let him secure more lucrative sporting opportunities. White, too, has hit back at Hearn and jibed that he sounded "stupid." 

UFC boss Dana White reveals that they'd have made Tom Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira for UFC Freedom 250

During a recent conversation with Adam Catterall for TNT Sports, Dana White was asked about the heavyweight championship landscape. 

The consensus is that the Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane showdown's victor would face Tom Aspinall in a UFC heavyweight title unification match when the Englishman returns from his injury break. 

Well, during the aforementioned conversation, White was asked whether Aspinall would've been booked to compete on the UFC White House card against Pereira. For context, both Aspinall and "Poatan" have often expressed interest in fighting each other. 

White responded by stating that they would have indeed booked Aspinall to defend the undisputed heavyweight title against Pereira on that card. He said: 

"Oh, a hundred percent... That would have been the fight if he was (not injured). You know, right now, most of the -- a lot of our champions are hurt right now. You know?"

White continued, "So it's kind of a funky -- there's a lot of things that you have to deal with, you know, when you're making these matches. With timing and everything else going on in everybody's life. Injuries. But yeah, it would've been Tom (Aspinall)." 

 

Watch Dana White discuss the canceled plans for Tom Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira for the UFC White House card below (*comments at the 9:39-minute mark of the video):