Tom Aspinall Vacates UFC Heavyweight Title: 5 Fighters Poised for Title Shot
Tom Aspinall has officially vacated the UFC heavyweight championship, citing ongoing eye complications that have kept him sidelined. In a heartfelt statement on his Instagram, Aspinall explained that an accidental injury occurred during a sparring session and reinjured the same eye that he had multiple surgeries and infections on after Ciryl Gane eye-poked him at UFC 321.
Aspinall’s departure removes the division’s undisputed king and now opens a chaotic scramble for heavyweight gold. Interim champion Ciryl Gane is expected to be elevated, but several ranked heavyweights now see a clearer path to a title shot.
Here are five UFC heavyweights who benefit most from Aspinall’s decision to step aside.
Ciryl Gane
Ciryl Gane sits as the most obvious beneficiary of Aspinall vacating the heavyweight title. Gane captured the interim title by knocking out Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June, displaying an athleticism, striking skill set, and fight IQ that stands out from the rest of the heavyweight division.
With Aspinall out of the picture, the French heavyweight will likely be promoted to undisputed champion without having to step back into the UFC Octagon.
Alexander Volkov
No. 2-ranked heavyweight Alexander Volkov has won six of his last seven UFC appearances, with his most recent performance resulting in a unanimous decision victory over the dangerous Dominican knockout artist, Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Volkov’s sole loss during that seven-fight run was a split decision to the aforementioned Gane in a rematch that many, including UFC CEO Dana White, thought he should have won.
At 37 years old, this may be his final realistic window at a UFC title, and Aspinall’s exit creates a direct opening. Volkov is scheduled to fight Rizvan Kuniev at UFC 333 in October, and should he win, he undoubtedly has a legitimate case for a trilogy fight with Gane.
Alex Pereira
Pereira lost to Gane in his heavyweight debut, but he has been actively campaigning for a rematch. The former two-division champion believes illegal strikes contributed to his defeat and has been consistently vocal in his criticism of UFC officiating.
With Aspinall out of the picture for now, Pereira’s path back to a title shot becomes shorter, though he may need at least one heavyweight win first to justify it.
Josh Hokit
The undefeated Hokit wasted no time campaigning for a title shot after Aspinall’s announcement, posting a message immediately on his X account.
The fans deserve Me vs Gane. I’ll give Ciryl what he has coming.
— The Incredible Hok (@Josh_HokitUFC) September 14, 2026
If Alex can win 1 fight in my weight class, I’ll give it to him too, early ‘27.
I’ll be the most active champ in the company. https://t.co/fdtRFTL2G8
The undefeated heavyweight is coming off a second-round TKO of Derrick Lewis at UFC White House. While a title shot may be premature, Hokit has positioned himself as a loud, attention-grabbing option in a suddenly thin division.
Sergei Pavlovich
Pavlovich extended his UFC winning streak to three with a 39-second knockout of Tallison Teixeira at UFC Macau. The Russian remains one of the division’s most dangerous pure strikers and sits at No. 3 in the UFC official heavyweight rankings.
If Gane chooses to face Volkov or Pereira next, Pavlovich could slot into a title eliminator against Hokit, Kuniev, or another top contender.
Heavyweight Division Reopened
Aspinall’s reign as the undisputed champion ended without a single successful title defense, but his decision to vacate the championship could create a far more active heavyweight division.
Gane now sits at the center of the title picture, while Volkov and Pavlovich have legitimate arguments for becoming his next challenger.
Pereira and Hokit, meanwhile, remain as major wildcards with legitimate star power. One more strong heavyweight performance from them could accelerate them to a title shot.
Most importantly, Aspinall’s decision means the UFC no longer has to wait for his uncertain recovery before moving the division forward. The British heavyweight still intends to return once his eye is healthy, but until then, a new race for UFC heavyweight supremacy has begun.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.