Dana White says Ciryl Gane not undisputed UFC heavyweight champion

UFC boss Dana White has said that Ciryl Gane is not the undisputed heavyweight champion.

Gane is the interim champion in the heavyweight division and defeated the always-popular Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 to win the title.

After Tom Aspinall vacated his UFC heavyweight title, Gane was expected to be promoted to full champion status, but CEO White said he still has to fight.

“Does it make (Gane) the undisputed champion? No. He’s still gotta fight,” White told Sportsnet.

“We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall. Ciryl will fight, and we’ll see who becomes the champion. I mean, this isn’t the first time this has ever happened. It’s happening right now with Valentina Shevchenko too, so this is nothing now. This happens sometimes. It’s unfortunate; it’s not the best outcome, but it is what it is.”

On Monday, Aspinall posted a lengthy statement on his Instagram account informing fans of his decision to vacate the UFC title.

The now-former UFC heavyweight champion underwent surgery on both eyes and is still recovering from the injury.

Aspinall’s first undisputed heavyweight title defence ended in a first-round no-contest on October 25, 2025.

The British heavyweight has not fought in almost a year, after suffering a double eye poke during a UFC 321 bout against Ciryl Gane.

Aspinall has also quit his podcast series on YouTube after vacating his UFC title, and will also step away from social media.

It is understood that toxic MMA fans have been bullying him online, making his experience unpleasant, which unfortunately is part of the gig these days.