Ciryl Gane, UFC Freedom 250 press conference Credit: Patrick Danna/Cageside Press
Ciryl Gane is not the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion, despite Tom Aspinall vacating his title.
Gane won an interim title back at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House this past June, defeating Alex Pereira to claim it. Historically, interim champions have been automatic upgrades when an undisputed champion is stripped, vacates their title or retires, but that won’t be the case here.
Speaking to Diana Belbita of SportsNet (who is a former UFC fighter herself), UFC CEO and President Dana White said that Gane will have to fight to claim undisputed status.
“Does it make him the undisputed champion? No. He’s still got to fight,” White said when asked about Gane’s status in the wake of Aspinall stepping away to deal with an ongoing eye issue that has already required surgery.
As for when Gane might get back in the cage, “soon. Very, very soon,” stated White.
“We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall. Ciryl will fight, and we’ll see who becomes the champion,” Dana White added. “This isn’t like the first time this has happened. It’s happening right now with Valentina Shevchenko too. This is nothing new, this happens sometimes. It’s unfortunate, not the best outcome but it is what it is.”
In the case of Shevchenko vacating her title due to injury, there is no interim champ. Natalia Silva and Wang Cong will face off to replace her instead.
Interestingly enough, Tom Aspinall was an immediate upgrade to undisputed champion when Jon Jones retired, though he had defended his interim belt once. Gane, who has twice held interim gold for the UFC, has yet to defend.