Insider reveals Tom Aspinall recovery timeline after Brit vacates UFC heavyweight title due to fresh eye setback

TOM ASPINALL’s potential recovery timeline has seemingly been revealed following news of his devastating injury setback. The Atherton assassin relinquished the UFC heavyweight title last week after being dealt a fresh blow in his recovery from multiple eye surgeries. Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title earlier this month Credit: GETTY Aspinall set aside the belt after suffering a setback in his recovery from the horror double eye poke he suffered against Ciryl Gane last October Credit: ESPN / UFC Aspinall, 33, was on course to rematch Ciryl Gane, who put him on the sidelines last October with a HORRIFIC DOUBLE EYE POKE, at UFC 334 on November 14. But the vision in his right eye, which was the more damaged of the two, was once again severely impaired after being struck by one of his sparring partners. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! A third surgery on the optic, which has had two infections, is a distinct possibility following recent worrying scans. And according to veteran MMA reporter Ariel Helwani, Aspinall will have to wait until JANUARY at the earliest to find out whether he’ll need a FIFTH surgery. During a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, he said: “They’re now telling him that he needs to come back in January. “That he just needs to wait. He needs to let the eye heal, rest up, don’t get hit, don’t get scraped, don’t have any issues. “Come back in January and hopefully that’s enough time for the cells to rejuvenate, regenerate, and get back to 100 per cent. “If they don’t, that could mean a fourth surgery and a third on the right eye.” Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Tom Aspinall is once again having issues with his right eye Credit: Getty He could be forced to have another surgery on the damaged optic Credit: INSTAGRAM@TOMASPINALLOFFICIAL Fan favourite Aspinall now faces another agonising wait to find out when, or if, he can resume his topsy-turvy UFC career. His ill-fated Abu Dhabi dust-up with Gane was his first fight following a 14-month-long hiatus – the result of the retired Jon Jones umming and ahhing about fighting him. Stepping away from the title due to circumstances out of his control has been a bitter pill to swallow for Aspinall, who said: “I’m absolutely gutted. “I’ve chased this dream since I was 10 years old. “I’m not done. Stepping away from the title is not stepping away from the sport or the dream. “I’ll continue doing everything I can to get healthy, get cleared and get back to competing as soon as possible. “What makes this particularly difficult is that many of the complications I’m dealing with are a result of fouls that changed the course of my career. “Fighters rely on officials to enforce the rules and protect us in those moments. “And it’s hard to still be dealing with the consequences today. “Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this absolute nightmare.” Comment now