Dana White: Ciryl Gane not promoted to undisputed UFC champ despite Tom Aspinall vacating title
Ciryl Gane will have to win another fight before he can call himself the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.
UFC CEO Dana White announced on Friday that Ciryl Gane will not be automatically promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion following Tom Aspinall's decision to vacate the title. Gane must compete for the vacant undisputed belt in his next UFC appearance. White stated that Gane is not yet the undisputed champion and that the situation will unfold as the fights take place.
Aspinall relinquished the heavyweight title due to ongoing complications from eye injuries sustained during his October 2025 fight against Gane. Aspinall remains out of action, with no timeline for his return. White said that Aspinall will fight again when he feels healthy and his eyes are healed. The UFC heavyweight title picture remains uncertain as other fighters like Alex Pereira, Josh Hokit, and Alexander Volkov are also in contention for the undisputed title.
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