MMA
Tom Aspinall officially vacates UFC heavyweight title due to ongoing eye injuries
tomaspinallofficial on InstagramUFC star Tom Aspinall has officially vacated the UFC heavyweight championship due to ongoing issues with his eyes.
Ever since UFC 321 almost a year ago, Tom Aspinall has been dealing with severe injuries to his eyes as a result of pokes from Ciryl Gane. While he has been on the road to recovery and seemed to be showing progress, we now know that he will be unable to defend the belt at any point in the near future.
RELATED: Dana White denies issues with Tom Aspinall amid striking coach's claims: “He's not going anywhereâ€
Tom Aspinall is one of the most exceptionally talented heavyweights we have seen in recent memory, but off the back of what happened against Gane, we may never get to see what he could really accomplish inside the Octagon.
In a recent Instagram post, after recent suggestions from Dana White that he could be stripped, Tom Aspinall announced that he will be relinquishing the gold.
Tom Aspinall vacates UFC heavyweight title
“Anything you read in the media is simply noise. People are creating their own narratives. This is the truth:
Ongoing complications with my eyes mean I cannot get medically cleared to fight right now.
I've had multiple surgeries, accidents and infections, and done everything possible to get back to competing.
I had previously agreed to a fight date and was back sparring, feeling great and ready to compete when an accident caused further damage to my right eye. This means more time away from the sport, and right now, the timing of my return is unclear.
I know there have been questions about why I've been quiet. I've always followed the advice of the UFC and focused on my recovery while we've tried to make this happen.
I've now made the decision to vacate the heavyweight title. I've asked the UFC to allow me to make this statement because I don't want to hold the heavyweight division up. I know what it's like to have your career put on hold and I want the other fighters to have the opportunity to compete for the title.
The UFC and Hunter have been informed every step of the way and have seen the tests, procedures and medical information relating to my eyes. We have worked closely with different doctors and specialists to try and make my return happen, but unfortunately, it's simply not possible right now.
I'm absolutely gutted. I've chased this dream since I was 10 years old.
I'm not done.
Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. I'll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible.
What makes this particularly difficult is that many of the complications I'm dealing with are a result of fouls that changed the course of my career. Fighters rely on officials to enforce the rules and protect us in those moments, and it's hard to still be dealing with the consequences today.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this absolute nightmare.
I'll be back as soon as I'm medically able to be.
Tomâ€
What title fight do you want to see next? Let us know in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
Zuffa LLCQuinton “Rampage†Jackson believes King Green may have been too tough for his own good this past Saturday.
Green collided with Esteban Ribovics on the UFC 332 main card in Salt Lake City. There was some bad blood going into this one after Green's team confronted Ribovics for missing weight. In the end, it was Ribovics who got the last laugh as he delivered several knockdowns to earn the first-round TKO finish.
While Green has said he wishes referee Herb Dean gave him more time to recover, Jackson told Nina Drama that the fan favorite lightweight was likely saved (h/t MMAMania).
“You put on a show before you worry about your own safety,†Jackson said. “We don't think about the wear and tear that we have on our body. That's what they be thinking about. Like, my brother, I wanted to see you win but that might have been a bad decision. What we don't think about in fighting is that s–t adds up.â€
Jackson made a rare appearance as a cornerman for Green, and he said it was difficult for him to deny the request.
“I don't really corner,†Jackson said. “Bobby asked me to corner him and all that stuff, I was like, ‘Ah, I don't wanna do all that stuff.' But, he's such a good guy, I didn't want to say no.â€
“Rampage†admitted that it was tough seeing Green suffer a TKO loss, but it comes with the territory of being a prizefighter.
“Bobby's an entertainer, he's going to bring it no matter what,†Jackson continued. “It's just, for me, he's my boy, he's like my brother. It just sucks seeing one of your boys get beat but it happens. It's part of the job.â€
Green will have to reassess what went wrong before his next outing, which likely won't be until 2027. His three-fight winning streak is over, but Green is no stranger to rebounding from defeat.
What do you think should be next for King Green? Let us know in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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