Tom Aspinall shuts down UFC exit rumours with emphatic statement

The British UFC heavyweight champion has not fought since his title defence against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October, when the bout ended in a no contest after accidental eye pokes left Aspinall unable to continue.

His lengthy absence and uncertainty over his return have fuelled speculation about his future, with fresh rumours emerging on Wednesday following comments attributed to his boxing coach Stipe Drvis during an Instagram Live.

Aspinall moved quickly to address those claims himself, releasing a statement on X later that day.

"I'm not leaving the UFC," Aspinall wrote.

He added that he had never said he planned to leave in an interview and described claims to the contrary as untrue.

Aspinall also confirmed that his team remains in regular contact with the UFC, saying they are speaking with the promotion daily and that official updates will follow.

The 33-year-old has been sidelined for around 10 months after suffering injuries to both eyes in the Gane fight and subsequently undergoing multiple surgeries.

There is currently no confirmed date for his return to the Octagon.

Gane has since captured the interim UFC heavyweight championship, potentially setting up a rematch and title unification bout with Aspinall when the Brit is ready to return.

Watch MMA on DAZN

While MMA fans wait for Aspinall's return, there is plenty of action to watch live on DAZN.

DAZN's growing MMA offering includes Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA, Jorge Masvidal's promotion which combines bare-knuckle fighting with the wider MMA ruleset.

Fans can also watch FightStar Championship, EFC and BRAVE CF, bringing together MMA events and fighters from the UK and around the world.

Click here to see DAZN's full MMA offering.