Tom Aspinall gives update on return to sparring and next UFC fight

Tom Aspinall has provided a positive update on his return to competition, saying he should be “cleared for contact” soon.

Aspinall last fought in October, when his first defence of the UFC heavyweight title ended prematurely, as he suffered multiple eye pokes from Ciryl Gane.

Those fouls forced a no-contest and led Aspinall to undergo double eye surgery, while Gane will fight Alex Pereira for the interim title in June – at an unprecedented event at the White House.

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall (Getty)

It has been expected that Aspinall, 33, will fight the winner of that bout depending on his health, and the Briton seems confident.

“We are just en route back from the eye hospital, where today I’ve had a scan, and things are progressing f***ing nicely, which I’m very happy about,” Aspinall said on his YouTube channel.

“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.

“Everyone keeps asking when I’m going to fight. The obvious answer is the other two guys, Alex and Ciryl, have to fight for the interim title. I’m obviously going to fight the winner. The UFC has told me that I’m fighting the winner.

“First and foremost, I should get my health right, which is on the right track […] I have to wait for that to be done, and we fight the winner. Simple as that.