Tom Aspinall is almost ready to return to fighting, but he still has to cross some Ts and dot some Is.
The UFC heavyweight champion has been out of action since October after suffering an eye injury during his title fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. In his absence, Aspinall's relationship with the UFC has seemingly gone through some ups and downs, so much so that Aspinall recently felt the need to squash rumors about wanting out of his UFC deal. Those rumors appear to have stemmed in part from Aspinall's continued absence from the promotion, but his business manager, Eddie Hearn, explained what's going on.
“He's under contract,†Hearn told Bloody Elbow. “The only thing that we have to look at is when Tom Aspinall will be ready to return. And that's not when he will be ready to return from a mindset perspective; that's from a commission perspective in terms of his injuries. And that shows you what he has been through, because if the commission won't let him fight, you know how serious the injuries were. Not saying that's the case, but that's the position we need to get to in order for him to return to the ring.
“He's motivated, and I can't give you an exact date yet, but what I can tell you is he wants to get back in there as soon as he is physically able to do so.â€
As far as dates go, once Aspinall confirmed he was back to training, rumors flew about his return, with most of them suggesting a rematch with Gane might headline UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in November. Hearn was unwilling to confirm those rumors, saying only that Aspinall wants to get back as soon as he's medically able.
“It all depends whether he'll be ready,†Hearn said. “He's training. I think he's gonna have to go through some additional testing to make sure he's good to return, but he wants to fight.
“He's making a lot of money. And you know what's unbelievable? Let me tell you how much money Tom Aspinall is doing — he won't mind me saying this. I had a deal for him, a six-figure deal where he had to do basically f*ck all, and he went, ‘Nah, I'll leave that one'. I'm like, ‘Oh my God, we have spoiled you'. [Laughs]
“He's a great guy, by the way. And if you look at his social numbers and the work those guys have done across YouTube and pods and stuff like that, he's making a lot of money. But he wants to fight. He's a fighter. So it's been very frustrating for him, but he'll be back.â€
Marlon
Vera's house was broken into while he was getting ready to
challenge Sean
O’Malley for the title.
Vera made an unsuccessful
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title bid against
O'Malley in 2024 in Miami. He recently revealed that his house in
California was broken into the night before the fight. When the
cameras went off at night, Vera's wife thought it was due to a
power cut. The next morning, the police informed Vera that his
house had been robbed.
Marlon Vera says his watch collection was stolen from his
California home before UFC 299
Vera wasn't happy to hear the news just hours before the biggest
fight of his career. Vera's watch collection, worth approximately
$200,000, was stolen. While someone informed Vera about a suspect,
the police never caught the culprit. Vera also believes it could be
someone who knew him, as they entered, found the watch collection
without rummaging through the house and exited within five
minutes.
“The night before the fight, the cameras went off,†Vera told
Michael
Bisping. “My wife was like, ‘Oh, maybe it's the electricity.'
The next morning, I wake up like, ‘F*ck yeah, title fight. Today
life changed.' Then the phone rings and the cops are like, ‘Hey
dude, they just robbed your house last night around 7 p.m.' I said,
‘Right now I don't have time for this; I'm fighting tonight.' The
cops know who I am; they were like, ‘No, we get it; we just thought
we’d let you know.' I'm like, ‘Wrong time to let me know.' They
told me they took my safe. I lost like $200K because I'm a watch
collector. Those were kind of investments. Those watches are money.
I'm counting in my head like, ‘Now I'm $200K short.' The cops never
found the guy. I have a photo and I have this random person
accusing, like, ‘Oh, I know this guy. His name is blah, blah.' The
guy came in, took the safe and took it through the front door. It
took him five minutes.â€
Vera (24-12) went on a four-fight skid starting with the failed
title challenge against O'Malley. “Chito†finally ended the slump
with a stoppage win over Charles
Jourdain at UFC 331.
Merab
Dvalishvili believes he has identified the key mistake he made
in his rematch against Petr Yan.
Dvalishvili put his
Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title on the line
for the fourth time within a year in a rematch against Yan last
December. While Dvalishvili was a sizable favorite, considering how
their first bout played out, Yan put on a technical masterclass to
piece up the Georgian en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Dvalishvili plans to change his approach against Yan in their
UFC 333 trilogy
Dvalishvili recently said that he made the mistake of fighting
Yan's fight in their rematch. “The Machine†believes it wasn't wise
of him to trade on the feet against an elite boxer like Yan.
However, Dvalishvili is confident that he has made the necessary
improvements to reclaim the title from the Russian in their trilogy
fight.
“I think the second fight I was fighting his fight,†Dvalishvili
told MMA Fighting. “I was in front of him and then exchanged the
boxing, but this time I will just be myself. I think I'll be much
sharper and I know I can beat this guy. He hits hard, he is good,
he's shown, so it's going to be a good fight. I'm excited.â€
Dvalishvili (21-5) defeated Yan (20-5) via an emphatic unanimous
decision in their first fight in 2023. While Dvalishvili believes
he made the mistake of fighting Yan's fight in their rematch, the
champ must be credited for forcing him to do so by stuffing
takedowns. Yan is now scheduled to defend his title in a rubber
match against Dvalishvili at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu
Dhabi.
Six
Ultimate Fighting Championship contracts were handed out on
Week 7 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026 despite few finishes.
Dana White awards UFC contracts to Damian Piwowarczyk, Piero
Guaylupo, Callum Connor, Marcos Degli, Alvi Dasuyev and Jaden
Ortega
Damian
Piwowarczyk (12-4) and Emilio
Quissua (8-1) started the action with a light heavyweight
clash. While Quissua came out strong, Piwowarczyk handed him his
first pro loss late in the first round with a vicious flurry. UFC
CEO Dana
White awarded Piwowarczyk a UFC contract for the finish.
“Damian, great first round,†White said. “Emilio is a tough guy. He
was putting it on you in that first round. And what did you do?
Knock him out with less than 10 seconds left in the first round.
Congratulations, you're in the UFC.â€
Piero
Guaylupo (13-0) and Callum
Connor (8-1) put on a barnburner in their lightweight tilt. The
bout would have broke the UFC lightweight record for the most
significant strikes landed in a three-round fight had it not been
under the DWCS banner. While Guaylupo defeated Connor via unanimous
decision, White awarded both fighters UFC contracts while hailing
the bout as a Fight of the Year contender.
“Both of these guys are in the hospital right now, Callum and
Piero, as they should be,†White said. “One of the greatest fights
you'll ever see on Tuesdays or Saturdays or any other day. This
fight could be up for Fight of the Year contender. For Piero to be
21 years old and fight the way he did, the fight was incredible.
But takes two guys to make a great fight; I'm taking them both…
Hopefully they're watching it on their phones.â€
Carlos
Prates' highly touted teammate, Marcos
Degli (15-3), lived up to his hype in a flyweight clash against
Joshua
Van's teammate, Paris Moran
(14-4). Degli, whom Prates used to consider the best flyweight
outside the UFC, finished Moran with a standing one-arm rear-naked
choke.
“Marcos, what a nasty, incredible sub you pulled off tonight,â€
White said while awarding Degli a contract. “13-fight win streak,
how can I say no to you? I can't. Get over here.â€
Alvi
Dasuyev (10-0) and Jaden
Ortega (6-1) also delivered an instant classic in their
welterweight matchup. While Ortega was dropped by Dasuyev in the
first round, he showed immense heart in going the distance despite
losing via unanimous decision. White awarded both fighters UFC
contracts, emphasizing that it takes two to tango.
“Alvi and Jaden, incredible fight,†White said. “[Alvi], it is only
the second time that you've ever gone three rounds in 10 fights.
Young guy, 24-years-old, I look very forward to seeing you grow in
the UFC and see what you're able to do. But like I just said a
minute ago, Jaden showed up here to fight. Takes two guys to make a
great fight; I want [Jaden] too.â€
White also revealed that promotional matchmaker Mick Maynard
insisted on signing Ortega.
Norbert
Novenyi Jr. (11-1) and Theo Haig
(7-2) failed to deliver in the main event of the card. Both
fighters were visibly exhausted by the second round, leading to
clinch positions marked with inactivity. Novenyi Jr. earned a
unanimous decision win, handing Haig his second DWCS loss after a
failed bid last year. However, White did not see enough from
Novenyi Jr. to want him in the UFC.
“Norbert, both of you guys have great records; you came in, fought
a good fight,†White said. “Unfortunately, my friend, I didn't see
anything tonight that makes me say, ‘I got to have this guy in the
UFC.' Whatever you decide to do here, we would like to take another
look at you. But tonight's not your night, my friend.â€
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