Tom Aspinall has revealed he has been diagnosed with a rare eye condition following his heavyweight title defence against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. The British fighter suffered an accidental eye poke from Gane during the first round of their bout in Abu Dhabi on 25 October, resulting in a no-contest.
A medical report posted on Aspinall's Instagram shows he has been diagnosed with 'significant bilateral Brown's syndrome', a rare condition that prevents the eye from moving upwards, particularly when looking inward. He is also suffering from persistent double vision, reduced eye motility, and substantial visual field loss.
The 32-year-old champion has not been cleared to fight or train and admitted surgery may be required, which could rule him out for the rest of 2026. 'I'm not in the gym training at the moment. I'm just following the doctor's orders,' Aspinall said on his YouTube channel.
Aspinall is undergoing specialist treatment and has seen some improvement, but the report notes that steroid injections or surgery may be needed if symptoms persist. He has had no contact with Gane since the fight but remains keen on a rematch once fully recovered. 'I'm obviously very keen to get back and beat this guy up. But I've got to be 100% right,' he added.
