Published on: February 15, 2026, 01:18h.
Updated on: February 15, 2026, 01:24h.
- Aspinall has undergone eye surgery, recovery timeline uncertain
- Holloway expresses respect for future lightweight rival Oliveira
- NBA Commissioner addresses concerning tanking trend
Poor news for UFC enthusiasts hoping for an uplift in the struggling heavyweight category, as they await Tom Aspinall’s return.
The Manchester fighter recently underwent surgery on both eyes to address the consequences of an eye poke inflicted by Ciryl Gane during their matchup at UFC 321 in Dubai last October. This bout concluded in a no contest as Aspinall lost vision.
Gane made several eye pokes during their brief fight, which did not even make it beyond the first round. In the aftermath, social media was rife with criticism, with many skeptics suggesting that Aspinall was seeking an escape from the bout and was losing.
Unclear Future for Heavyweights
What troubled Aspinall the most were comments made by UFC CEO Dana White after the fight suggesting that Aspinall opted not to resume.
“Quite disappointing, mainly because he hadn’t consulted with me [before White’s comments],” Aspinall shared on “The Ariel Helwani Show”. “[White] stated there were no issues with my eyes, which is inaccurate … I feel I’ve contributed significantly to the UFC, so yes, I am disappointed.”
Details on Eye Surgery
Further insights were revealed on Petesy Carroll’s Uncrowned podcast, where Carroll discussed recent conversations with Aspinall and his physician. Aspinall mentioned persistent visual disturbances, including a constant black spot in his vision. He is currently dealing with double vision, causing dizziness and nausea while training, especially during footwork exercises.
Carroll relayed that Aspinall was delayed in undergoing surgery until his eyes healed sufficiently. Aspinall is aiming to restore normalcy in his life before contemplating a return to the Octagon.
Aspinall Remains a Strong Contender
As Carroll noted, Aspinall emphasized his passion for martial arts but expressed frustration with the business side of the sport. The future of the heavyweight division remains uncertain, with the only significant heavyweight bout scheduled until March being No. 7 Serghei Spivac versus No. 9 Ante Delija at next Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Houston.
Notably, Aspinall holds -180 odds to become the men’s UFC heavyweight champion by December 31, 2026, at DraftKings, trailed by Gane at +400 and Jon Jones at +500, even as Jones remains on retirement status.
NBA’s Tanking Dilemma
The NBA is grappling with a significant issue—numerous teams are deliberately tanking their seasons at unprecedented levels, all striving for the best possible draft positioning for next June.
Recently, the NBA fined the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz $100,000 and $500,000 respectively for overtly tanking related to their roster decisions.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver commented during this weekend’s All-Star festivities that the current situation is the worst he has seen. The league is collaborating with the Competition Committee and Board of Governors to introduce further measures to eliminate such conduct, including potential draft pick penalties, particularly with the next draft expected to be one of the richest in recent memory.
In the interim, the NBA All-Star Game is set to commence today at 5 p.m. EST. As of now, BetMGM has the World at +155 (59.2% of tickets, 74.2% of handle), USA Stripes at +160 (20.5%, 16.6%), and USA Stars at +200 (20.3%, 9.3%).
UFC Updates
Following Justin Gaethje’s thrilling victory over Paddy Pimblett in a memorable lightweight interim title fight at UFC 324, fans can look forward to another exciting lightweight showdown at UFC 326 on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring No. 3 ranked Charles Oliveira against No. 4 ranked Max Holloway, who will defend his BMF title. This match revisits their initial encounter in 2015, where Holloway claimed victory by TKO in the first round.
Currently, Holloway is the betting favorite at -200 on DraftKings, while Oliveira stands at +154. FanDuel’s odds reflect Holloway at -210 and Oliveira at +162, whereas BetMGM lists Holloway at -222 and Oliveira at +165.
Holloway’s Respect for Opponent
Oliveira recently notched a submission victory in the second round against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night on October 11 in Brazil, though he is still recovering from a recent devastating knockout loss to the current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria on June 28 at UFC 317.
Despite this, Holloway spoke highly of Oliveira in a recent YouTube interview.
“Oliveira? He’s a true killer,” he noted. “His jiu-jitsu is well-known, and his striking has improved significantly. Many of his finishes come not from desperate submissions but from hurting opponents first and then submitting them. He truly embodies the essence of mixed martial arts. Oliveira poses a threat in all aspects.”