Henry Cejudo Calls for Tom Aspinall to Vacate UFC Heavyweight Title

Former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo believes heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall should no longer hold the belt while remaining on the sidelines. Speaking on his Pound-4-Pound podcast, Cejudo stated that Aspinall needs to either voluntarily vacate his championship or be stripped by the promotion as his inactivity approaches the one-year mark.

Aspinall has been out of action since October 2025, when his main event title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a no-contest. A pair of eye pokes from Gane left Aspinall unable to continue, leading to eye surgery and a steady recovery process. While Aspinall continues to heal, no official timetable for his Octagon return has been established. Aspinall had previously earned and defended an interim belt before being elevated to undisputed champion following Jon Jones' retirement.

With next month marking a full year since Aspinall last competed, Cejudo argued that champions unable to defend their titles must step aside. Cejudo also highlighted Aspinall's management relationship with Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn, noting that Hearn's public disagreements with UFC CEO Dana White do not help the champion's standing during a lengthy absence. Cejudo maintained that once a year passes without a defense, the promotion should move forward with the division.