The ongoing tension between Tom Aspinall and Dana White only intensified following the heavyweight champion’s eye-poke controversy against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. After enduring a 14-month layoff while Jon Jones declined to unify the heavyweight titles, Aspinall finally returned to action. However, his comeback ended in dramatic fashion when the fight was halted late in the opening round.
At the 4:35 mark of Round 1, an accidental double eye poke from Gane left Aspinall unable to see, forcing referee Jason Herzog to stop the contest and rule it a no-contest. Despite being given nearly four minutes to recover and undergoing examinations by two cageside physicians, the champion informed officials that his vision remained compromised and that he could not continue. As a result, Aspinall retained his heavyweight title under unfortunate circumstances.
😱 Tom Aspinall got DOUBLE eye poked pretty deeply! pic.twitter.com/oEG9sh4foX
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 25, 2025
The situation became even more concerning in the aftermath when Aspinall was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome and subsequently underwent double eye surgery. He is now reportedly preparing for a return, with Gane calling for an immediate rematch following his victory over Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250. Aspinall has welcomed the challenge, and the pair are being linked to a potential showdown in Paris later this September.
Away from the Octagon, Aspinall recently signed a new management deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency. The move drew scrutiny from former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, who questioned the lack of transparency surrounding Aspinall’s injury situation. Speaking on a recent episode of the Believe You Me podcast alongside fellow UFC veteran Paul Felder, Bisping suggested that the details surrounding Aspinall’s recovery remain unclear.
While careful with his wording, ‘The Count’ admitted that the limited information coming from Aspinall’s camp had raised questions. Bisping said, “I’ve got to choose my words carefully here, but he’s just said, ‘I’m still not clear to fight. But he’s been very vague with the details. If I wasn’t cleared, because he’s got a YouTube channel, he posts content all the time, you’d talk about it, the procedures that he had, the operations, whatever.”
🚨 Michael Bisping criticizes Tom Aspinall for how he’s handled his eye injury:
“I had a surgery, recovered, came back and had a fight in a SHORTER amount of time than what it’s taken this whole eye poke saga.”
“He’s been very vague about the details. If I wasn’t cleared, he’s… pic.twitter.com/gBWsqpLxf3
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) June 4, 2026
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Bisping also questioned the timing of Hearn’s decision to sign Aspinall, suggesting that the promoter’s ongoing friction with UFC CEO Dana White could potentially be a motivating factor. Those comments did not sit well with Hearn, who strongly pushed back against Bisping’s remarks and criticized the former champion for failing to support a fellow British fighter during a difficult period.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hearn did not hold back in his criticism of Bisping’s comments. Hearn said, “These are people that are on the payroll. These are people that have been suppressed, themselves, and these are people that don’t have any backbone about them. Michael Bisping should be ashamed of what is being proposed to Tom Aspinall to be in a fight like Ciryl Gane with that amount of money that is in the pot. He is a fighter. He should stand up for what’s right for fighters.”
Hearn continued his tirade by accusing Bisping of prioritizing the UFC’s interests over those of the athletes. According to the Matchroom chief, fighters deserve a far greater share of the revenue they help generate and should not be pressured into accepting unfavorable terms.
He added, “So what are you saying, Bisping? ‘Do as you’re told, shut up, take your money. That’s all you’re worth. There’s $60 million in the pot. Be quiet. You’re getting three percent of the pot.’ You’re the fighter. You’re putting your health on the line, you’re the talent, you’re the reason this organization is what it is, and Bisping should be ashamed of himself for that.”
He concluded with, “I keep saying to Bisping, ‘Sit down with me, live, and we’ll have a debate about it,’ and he’ll never do it because he knows he can’t say certain things. But he’s a fighter. He should be standing up for the best interests of the fighter, not allowing fighters to be suppressed and bullied and told what to do or what to accept.”
Eddie Hearn questions Michael Bisping’s motives behind his criticism of Tom Aspinall:
“Michael Bisping should be ashamed… These are people that are on the payroll. These are people that don’t have any backbone about them.
He is a fighter. He should stand up for what’s right… pic.twitter.com/FFAdFx07qk
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 24, 2026
Amid his criticism of Bisping, Hearn also provided a positive update on Aspinall’s condition, confirming that the heavyweight champion is now fully healthy and ready to defend his title against Gane. While a rematch remains the immediate priority, Hearn emphasized that the timing of the fight and its financial terms must also make sense.
According to Hearn, the current contract on the table does not adequately reflect Aspinall’s value as one of the UFC’s biggest stars. He argued that the champion’s contractual compensation is disproportionately low compared to the revenue and attention he brings to a fight of that magnitude.
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