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There has been a lot of buzz lately surrounding Tom Aspinall’s future. It all stems from comments made by the British fighter’s longtime coach, who suggested that the heavyweight champion no longer wants to fight for the UFC. Aspinall himself was quick to deny these reports.
Tom Aspinall remains sidelined and is recovering from eye injuries he sustained during last year’s bout with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. The undefeated heavyweight champion plans to return before the end of the year, and his opponent is once again expected to be the Frenchman, who currently holds the interim title.
Aspinall’s first bout with Gane ended in a no contest. Everything indicates that the UFC would like to arrange a rematch, and one possible date is the upcoming event in New York.
However, the negotiations may be a bit more complicated. There have been changes in Aspinall’s inner circle, and Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, among others, is now involved in his affairs. It’s no secret, though, that the promoter doesn’t have the best relationship with Dana White.
Even more confusion was caused by Aspinalla’s longtime boxing coach, Stipe Drvis. During a live Instagram broadcast, he stated that his fighter no longer wants to compete in the UFC.
The coach’s comments quickly went viral on social media. Aspinall therefore decided to clarify the situation himself and posted a brief statement on Instagram.
” I’m not leaving the UFC,” Aspinall wrote on Wednesday.
The British fighter emphasized that he had never publicly stated his intention to leave the world’s largest MMA organization. He also denied the reports that began circulating online following his coach’s remarks.
– I have never said that in any interview, and any statements attributed to me today that were taken out of context are simply untrue. We are in daily contact with the UFC, and the organization, as always, will keep you updated with the latest information.
As of now, Dana White and the UFC matchmakers have not yet announced exactly when the heavyweight champion will return to the Octagon.
However, Aspinall’s relationship with the organization’s head in recent months has not been ideal. After the eye injuries sustained at UFC 321, White responded rather coldly to the champion’s situation, to which the Brit replied in a similar tone. The UFC president later admitted that before signing a contract for the next fight, the two “need to talk.”
However, all signs point to the fact that rumors about Aspinall’s departure from the UFC can be put aside for now. The champion himself has unequivocally stated that he has no intention of leaving the organization. There are more questions surrounding his return and a potential rematch with Gane, especially since White’s strained relationship with Hearn could further complicate negotiations.
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