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Based on his comments at UFC 324’s post-fight press conference Saturday night in Las Vegas, someone might need to remind UFC CEO Dana White who Tom Aspinall is.
“Oh Jesus, don’t let me talk about Tom Aspinall’s eye,” replied White when asked if he had an update on the reigning UFC heavyweight champion. “Apparently he’s going in for a second surgery, or just had it … or … and by surgery I mean injections. I have no idea.”
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“Get a quote from him,” he added. “God f***ing forbid I say something about it.”
Pockets of the gathered media yucked it up accordingly.
Of course, White was poking fun at Aspinall’s reaction to the UFC top cat claiming his title defense against Ciryl Gane ended prematurely because “Tom didn’t want to continue.”
Since that night in October, Aspinall has routinely visited eye specialists, has dealt with the reality of having to undergo double eye surgery, has been unable to train in any form of combat and, according to his last update on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” can’t even drive a car. The champ is still suffering from persistent double vision, has reduced eye motility, visual function and substantial field loss.
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In that same interview with Helwani, Aspinall admitted he was “disappointed” by White’s comments in the immediate aftermath of the fight. White has since responded insisting that he meant no ill will with what he believes was a throwaway comment.
“I think the thing’s going to be taken out of context, or he didn’t see what I said because I don’t even know what the f*** I said,” claimed White. “But never once did I say anything negative about him or in a derogatory way. I’m sure he is upset and fired up. He’ll get better and come back.”
At that point, the issue seemed like it was put to bed. Yet, with White making jibes at the fallout on Saturday, you can’t help but wonder how the heavyweight champion feels about it. He posted a video laughing off the notion that he was “taking strays,” but I can imagine it may have stung more than that.
Instead of kicking off what many believed could’ve been a generational spell at the helm of the sport’s marquee division with his clash with Gane, Aspinall’s future is now as clouded as his vision. Even now, more then three months later, there remains a non-zero chance that he may never fight again, which only further underlines the severity of the situation.
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Maybe I’m being dramatic, but a conceivably generational talent dealing with the possibility that his career may be over at age 32 feels like it should be treated with more sensitivity.
For those who need reminding — and White may be included in that category — Aspinall jumped through every hoop presented to him en route to becoming UFC heavyweight champion.
He fought everyone the UFC put in front of him. He played a starring role in reinvigorating the promotion’s London events in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. After suffering a knee injury exactly a year prior in his headlining clash with Curtis Blaydes, he returned to the same London arena and demolished Marcin Tybura in 73 seconds. Three months later, he stepped up on short notice to headline Madison Square Garden after an injury ruled Jon Jones out of a fight with Stipe Miocic. That night in New York, it took him just 69 seconds to dispatch one of the scariest knockout artists in the division and claim the interim heavyweight title. Eight months later, he returned to the scene of his knee injury and stopped Blaydes in a rare defense of an interim belt. Then Jones decided he’d rather retire than fight the Briton, and after a year of sitting around and waiting, Aspinall found out the same way everyone else did — when White announced the news 10 minutes into a post-fight press conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.
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White likely intended no malice with his quip Saturday night, but if Aspinall never fights again, the laughter in that Las Vegas room will age like milk.
The lack of updates on the situation is worrying. Famously eager to compete, there is no doubt the Wiganite would much prefer to fight any man walking God’s green earth rather than undergo another round of eye surgeries.
For the sake of the fans, the sport and the heavyweight division, let’s hope we get some good news soon.
