Tom Aspinall has been out of favor with fans since the controversial ending to UFC 321 last year. The treatment he endured has pushed the 32-year-old to adopt a new identity, one that brings out his ruthless side.
Aspinall was on top of the world in the latter stages of 2025. The Brit was on the verge of being called the greatest heavyweight of his generation and was angling for an all-timer fight against Jon Jones. His hype and opportunities within the company were closing in on superstar status, but they began to falter in the aftermath of his clash with Gane, which ended in a no-contest due to an eye poke.
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The majority of fans and fellow fighters turned against Tom Aspinall, calling him a quitter for his unusual reaction and inability to continue following the illegal incident caused by Ciryl Gane. His highly anticipated legacy fight against Jon Jones was no more, rumors of an interim title being put in place, and negative comments being made by his peers and those above followed as the months flew by.
Aspinall did everything he could to prove he was in the right, showing the world his road to recovery amid successful eye surgery. Even with his attempts, the hype still hasn’t returned to its former heights, birthing a turning point for the UFC heavyweight champion.
“I think they could’ve dealt with it a little bit better,” Aspinall said regarding his situation with the UFC. “But it’s their business mate, you’ve got to go with it. Everyone’s got their own opinion, so what’re you going to do?”
“Something that I’ve learned from this whole injury thing, the backlash that I’ve got and stuff like that, you’ve got to make as much money and be as ruthless as possible. Nobody in there is your friend. You’ve got to capitalize on the time you’ve got in the sport.”
