Tom Aspinall Under Fire from Fellow Heavyweight Amidst Extended Absence

A prominent UFC heavyweight contender believes it's time for Tom Aspinall to either return to the octagon or step aside, given his lengthy hiatus from competition. The undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, remains sidelined following multiple eye surgeries sustained during a no-contest bout at UFC 321 last year. He was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Ciryl Gane just minutes into the fight due to accidental eye pokes.

Despite initial hopes for a September return, Aspinall has not yet received medical clearance to compete. UFC CEO Dana White has indicated that the promotion may need to move forward without Aspinall as champion if his absence continues. With Ciryl Gane having secured an interim heavyweight title earlier this year, the timeline for a potential Aspinall vs. Gane rematch is unclear. Meanwhile, a top heavyweight contender has voiced growing frustration over Aspinall's delayed comeback.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Criticizes Tom Aspinall's Long UFC Absence

During his pre-fight press conference for Noche UFC, Waldo Cortes-Acosta was asked about the possibility of the UFC stripping Aspinall of his heavyweight title. Cortes-Acosta expressed significant frustration regarding the champion's current situation, stating, "Yeah, it’s a lot of frustration to see the champion be like this."

"He knows that he needs to come back and fight with Ciryl Gane," Cortes-Acosta continued. "I think he’s got a [coward], and I think he’ll have a long time to heal and come back to fight for the title, but this is not the champion. For me, this is not the champion.

“The champion is someone who has a problem, fixes it, and tries to come back, fights and is a warrior, not a [coward]. I don’t know where he is, trying to hide because he doesn’t want to fight Ciryl Gane.” (Source: Bloody Elbow)

Cortes-Acosta is not the only notable fighter expressing impatience with Aspinall and his team. Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo has also urged Aspinall to vacate his heavyweight title to allow the division to progress.