Aspinall Nears Clearance After Eye Surgery Recovery

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall shared an optimistic update on his recovery from double eye surgery, indicating he could soon receive medical clearance for contact training.

Aspinall, 33, has not competed since October, when his first title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a first-round no-contest due to multiple eye pokes. The Briton was hospitalized immediately after the fouls and underwent surgery on both eyes. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Aspinall described his latest progress following a recent scan at the eye hospital. "Things are progressing nicely, which I'm very happy about," he said. "They're saying, pretty soon if things keep moving in the right direction I will be cleared for contact. I am back in the gym, I am back training, but not sparring just yet. But if things keep going the way they're going, we are back."

Aspinall emphasized prioritizing his health before addressing his next fight. He confirmed plans to face the winner of the upcoming interim heavyweight title bout between Gane and Alex Pereira, scheduled for June at the White House. "Everyone keeps asking when I'm going to fight. The obvious answer is the other two guys, Alex and Ciryl,...