Morning Report: Demetrious Johnson would be ‘shocked’ if Tom Aspinall fights again

Demetrious Johnson is doubtful that UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall will ever fight again, citing the severity of eye injuries that forced Aspinall to vacate his title this week.

Aspinall has endured a brutal 11-month stretch as champion. A title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest after an accidental eye-poke left Aspinall unable to continue. The injury required multiple surgeries, and during his recovery, Gane claimed an interim title. On Monday, Aspinall officially relinquished the heavyweight belt with no clear return date in sight.

On his YouTube channel, Johnson expressed grave concerns about Aspinall's future in the sport. He noted that the eye injury sits in one of the most vulnerable areas of the body during combat training and competition. "I would be shocked if Tom Aspinall fights again," Johnson said, explaining that even in an eight-week training camp, constant striking, grappling, and crossfacing pose constant risk to an already-compromised eye. Johnson emphasized he would never accept such a risk, as vision loss could prevent him from seeing his children.

Johnson drew a parallel to Michael Bisping, the British UFC champion who famously fought through multiple eye injuries during his career—and now wears a glass eye as a result. "Michael Bisping cannot see out of one of his eyes and that could happen to Tom Aspinall if he rushes back to the octagon," Johnson warned.

Aspinall has fought only four times since suffering a knee injury in July 2022. He returned with a win over Marcin Tybura, captured an interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, and defended it against Curtis Blaydes before being elevated to undisputed champion when Jon Jones retired in June 2025. Much of that time was spent waiting for a unification bout with Jones that never occurred, making his current situation especially frustrating for the fighter.