Tom Aspinall Returns to Training After Vacating Title
Former UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is back in the gym, weeks after complications with his eye injury forced him to vacate his belt.
The 33-year-old hasn’t stepped inside the octagon since UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi back on Oct. 25, 2025. That night, his title defence against Ciryl Gane came to an abrupt end at 4:35 of the opening round, after the Frenchman caught him with an accidental poke to both eyes. Aspinall couldn't continue, and the fight was declared a no contest. Shortly after, he spoke in his post-fight interview and said:
“I can’t see. I can hardly open my eye.”
Now, more than a year later, the Brit has finally given fans a glimpse of him back in training.
Tom Aspinall Shares First Training Photos Since Vacating UFC Title
Aspinall recently took to Instagram and shared a couple of photos of him training at the gym and kept the caption to just one word. He wrote:
“Lately.”
Check out Aspinall's comments below:
Tom Aspinall’s Eye Injury Kept Him Out for More Than a Year
It’s been a difficult time for the Brit. In a medical report he shared in November 2025, Aspinall was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome, which restricts movement in both eyes. With that, the report also showed persistent double vision and a small fracture in the inner wall of his right eye socket. The Englishman even described the vision in his right eye as “just grey."
In February, Aspinal had surgery to repair the muscle damage, and he stayed awake throughout. He later called the experience “horrendous” and revealed that he was using 32 eye drops a day.
By late June, the British heavyweight's situation had improved. He was given the green signal to spar again and was back in full training. Unfortunately, it didn’t last. While he was preparing for a return at UFC 334, a blow during training re-injured his right eye, causing black spots and loss of peripheral vision, and two doctors refused to clear him.
That’s when Aspinall gave up the strap on Sept. 14. In a statement on Instagram, he wrote:
“I’ve had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing... Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream.”
With the belt vacant, Gane was named the undisputed champion. The Frenchman had already won the interim title by beating Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, and he’ll now defend it against Josh Hokit in the main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 14.
While Gane prepares for Hokit, Aspinall is still working his way back. With the Brit training again, all eyes are on when he’ll make his octagon return. For now, he hasn’t given a date, and his next set of scans is expected in January, which will show whether he’s cleared to fight or needs more time to recover.
