Dana White Remains Mum on Tom Aspinall, Offers Scary UFC Heavyweight Warning

UFC CEO Dana White kept it brief after the fifth episode of Season 10 of DWCS, which saw four new fighters sign with the UFC.

These included athletes from different divisions, including flyweight Christian Natividad, middleweight Martin Kozak, welterweight Isaac Moreno, and light heavyweight Quentin Pasley. Away from the prospect intrigue, White addressed a few major talking points outside the Octagon, including the health status of UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.

In a rather short-lived rationale, White again kept things copacetic regarding his champion. There is no concrete return timeline for Aspinall after sustaining eye injuries last October at UFC 321, nor is there a clear path forward regarding the title's lineage.

Dana White's Latest Tom Aspinall Update Not Ideal for Heavyweight Division

According to White, it's business as usual as far as the rest of the division is concerned.

🚨 Dana White says Tom Aspinall is still hurt:

"Tom Aspinall is hurt. Until we hear differently, the heavyweight division will keep rolling." pic.twitter.com/CDOtQqQVxm
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 9, 2026

"Tom Aspinall is hurt," White said. "Until we hear differently, the heavyweight division will keep rolling."

White's comments dropped in the wake of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira wanting to remain active at heavyweight following a TKO loss to Cyril Gane at UFC Freedom 250 in his heavyweight debut in June.

"I think the fight that makes sense is Ciryl Gane," Pereira said via translation. "That's the fight; I'm gonna work on that."

Pereira does not have a fight scheduled as of yet. UFC 334 and UFC 335 are set for Nov. 14 and Dec. 12 in New York and Las Vegas, respectively. Neither card has a main event booked, making it a potential possibility to slide into one of those slots (or as a co-feature).

"And from what I'm seeing, it's something that's going to happen," Pereira added.

Could Alex Pereira Rematch Cyril Gane?

Alex Pereira at UFC Serbia — Aug 1, 2026; Belgrade, Serbia; Heavyweight UFC fighter Alex Pereira watches a match during UFC Fight Night at Belgrade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, fellow contender Josh Hokit has previously teased that he's interested in how the top-half of the division plays out.

"That fight makes no f****** sense," Hokit said of a Gane-Pereira rematch. "I watched you get demolished. How about you get on f****** win in this weight class before you are gifted another title shot."

It appears the beef between Pereira and Hokit is still unsettled. Hokit shared the same card as Pereira, securing a TKO win over Derrick Lewis to keep his divisional momentum rolling.

For now, the heavyweight division doesn't seem clearly mapped out in the wake of Aspinall's recovery. Before long, though, it'll begin to come together, as the UFC's end-of-year schedule continues to fill out its respective events.

Only time will tell how everything plays out, though.

Add us as a preferred source on Google