Tom Aspinall suffering from 'traumatic' eye problem after Ciryl Gane fight, heavyweight champion not yet cleared for UFC return

Tom Aspinall retained his UFC heavyweight belt in his fight against opponent Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October this year, but did so as a result of a no-contest decision from the referee after the Frenchman was deemed to have accidentally poked the champion in the eye. Aspinall has now revealed that he continues to suffer from problems with his vision, preventing a return to the cage.

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Tom Aspinall has revealed that he is suffering from a rare condition in both eyes after his no-contest fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.

The UFC heavyweight champion was taking on the French fighter in Abu Dhabi on October 25 in his first title defence, but Gane accidentally poked Aspinall in both eyes towards the end of the first round.

The 32-year-old Briton Aspinall was unable to keep fighting as a result, and the contest was duly waved off, meaning he retained his title.

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Aspinall has now posted a medical report on his Instagram account which states that he is suffering from "significant traumatic bilateral Brown’s syndrome" and "persistent" double vision. Brown’s syndrome affects the eye’s ability to move upwards, and he is also suffering from other problems with his vision.

As a result, the fighter is not yet "medically cleared for combat" competition.

The report states: "Depending on clinical progression, targeted periocular [surrounding the eyeball] steroid injections or surgical intervention to address persistent motility [movement] impairment may be required if symptoms fail to resolve."

In the same post, Aspinall said he appreciated the "love, support and memes" from fans.

Earlier this month, MMA referee Herb Dean said that fight officials will try to enforce stricter interpretations over point deductions for eye pokes, a decision which came after the fight between Aspinall and Gane.

During the fight, referee Jason Herzog called the poke accidental, meaning that the clash was decided as a no-contest result. Had it been ruled a deliberate act by Gane, he could have been disqualified, which would have counted as a loss for the Frenchman and a victory for Aspinall.

In June 2024, the UFC introduced a new design for their gloves, which are fingerless, as they looked to prevent eye pokes and hand injuries. They have since gone back to the original design, which has been largely the same since 1997.

Aspinall became champion when he was elevated from his interim status after months of chasing a clash with the division’s previous belt-holder, United States fighter Jon Jones.

Jones elected to retire instead of meeting Aspinall amid rumours he wanted a substantial payday in order to put his belt on the line, but he has since suggested he could be tempted back into the Octagon ahead of a UFC night which could take place at the White House next year.

The former champion has re-entered the drug-testing pool for the organisation in an attempt to become eligible for future fights should he decide to end his retirement.

Jones last fought at UFC 309 in November 2024, when he came up against veteran heavyweight Stipe Miocic - who has also retired from mixed martial arts - winning the bout. Before that, he also fought Gane, defeating the Frenchman at UFC 285 in March 2023.

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Watch Tom Aspinall: Road to Undisputed on TNT Sports and discovery+

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