What happened: Michael Bisping has publicly questioned the lengthy recovery timeline for UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall following an accidental eye poke in October 2025. On his podcast, the Hall of Famer described the delay as 'weird' and noted his own faster return from more invasive surgeries. Aspinall recently revealed that his latest medical scans did not grant him the expected clearance for contact training.

Why it matters: The delay has caused a rift between the two British stars and prompted the UFC to schedule an interim title fight between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira on June 14. Aspinall’s diagnosis includes significant ocular trauma and double vision, which continues to stall a unification bout. The champion remains sidelined from sparring despite being back in the gym for light training.

What to watch: Watch for the results of the interim title fight on June 14 to determine Aspinall's next challenger once he is medically cleared.