SportOther SportsUFCThe UFC heavyweight champion has been forced to address his UFC future after stunning rumours emerged that the Brit had parted ways with the promotion11:29, 27 Aug 2026Tom Aspinall has made it clear he has no intention of leaving the UFC, despite sensational rumours that the UFC champion wants to part ways with the company.‌On Wednesday, stunning reports emerged that the Salford scrapper had vacated the heavyweight title and left the UFC. The news allegedly came from his striking coach, Stipe Drvis, who revealed the staggering surprise during an Instagram live. But Aspinall himself was quick to downplay such claims.‌In a post uploaded to social media, he clarified his future, posting: “I’m not leaving the UFC. I’ve never said I am in any interview and any words that have been taken from others today are simply not true. We are talking with the UFC daily and they will update you guys always."‌The Brit has not fought since October when his grudge match with Ciryl Gane was waved off in the opening stanza after repeated eye pokes from the Frenchman left Aspinall unable to continue. In the months that followed, the heavyweight champion has undergone multiple surgeries on both eyes.FOLLOW OUR FIGHTING FB PAGE! Latest boxing and MMA news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook pageAspinall has returned to training and is hoping to return to competitive action before the end of the year. Dana White and the UFC recently announced their final two PPVs of the year - UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden, New York, and UFC 335 on December 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.‌The Brit's return could land on one of the aforementioned showcases. Aspinall's next opponent emerged back in June - with the Salford native due to face Gane for a second time. This comes after the Frenchman won the interim title back in June after knocking out Alex Pereira in the second round at the White House.Earlier this year, Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn sent shockwaves around the MMA world after he signed Aspinall for his new talent management agency. And regarding the UFC star's future, Hearn told Ariel Helwani back in June: "He doesn't care [where]. Honestly, this is a dangerous fight, and some people still refuse to acknowledge that he had four eye operations and was told quite clearly he could have lost his vision. You got to go back in there, do the same kind of thing — could happen again."This time it could be worse, or it could be a back-of-the-head blow. All these other fouls that you see, but you know it's going to be that kind of fight. It's not going to be easy. So, if you're going to put yourself through that, if you're going to risk not just your legacy but your health and beyond — not to get too negative about things — you've got to be respected."Article continues below"We've reached out to the UFC and we've told them — Andy Aspinall, who's got that relationship with Hunter [Campbell] and those guys, 'Tom's ready.' There's going to be a conversation coming up about date and numbers."Look, we're not coming in there to cause a big argument. What we're coming in to say is that there's a huge amount of money in the fight between Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌UFCTom Aspinall