Dana White: Ciryl Gane Must Fight for Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Title

Interim UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane will not be automatically elevated to undisputed champion despite Tom Aspinall vacating the title earlier this week. Aspinall relinquished the belt on Monday after reinjuring his eyes in training, sidelining him indefinitely and scrapping plans for an expected title unification rematch with Gane later this year.

Speaking with Diana Belbita at Sportsnet, UFC CEO Dana White clarified that the promotion will not simply hand Gane the undisputed mantle. "Does it make him the undisputed champion? No.

He’s still got to fight," White said. The UFC head added that an undisputed title bout featuring Gane is expected to be announced "very soon."

White noted that the promotion has no set timeline for when Aspinall might be able to return to the Octagon. "I don’t [know]," White said regarding Aspinall's recovery. "Obviously, whenever he feels healthy again, whenever his eyes are healed, then we’re ready for him."

The unexpected vacancy has forced the promotion to adjust its heavyweight landscape, a scenario White noted is not unprecedented. "We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall," White explained. "Ciryl will fight, and we’ll see who becomes the champion.

This isn’t like this is the first time this has ever happened, and it’s happening right now with Valentina Shevchenko, too. This happens sometimes, and it’s unfortunate. Not the best outcome, but it is what it is."