Dana White: Ciryl Gane Needs More Fights After Aspinall's Title Vacate

Ciryl Gane may be holding a belt, but Dana White is in no rush to crown him king of the heavyweights.

With Tom Aspinall sidelined by a serious eye injury and now officially vacating his interim title, Gane stands as the UFC’s interim heavyweight champion after his win over Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250. On paper, it looks like a clear path to undisputed status. White shut that idea down.

“Does it make (Gane) the undisputed champion? No. He’s still gotta fight,” the UFC CEO told Sportsnet, addressing the situation publicly for the first time since Aspinall gave up his belt.

The heavyweight picture has been murky ever since that fateful night at UFC 321 last October, when Aspinall’s title fight with Gane ended with the Englishman suffering an eye injury that has kept him out indefinitely. The obvious storyline was a rematch once Aspinall healed. That door has closed for now.

Unable to commit to a return, Aspinall chose to vacate, clearing the way for Gane’s rise via his victory over Pereira. The Frenchman grabbed the interim strap by outpointing the former two-division champion at UFC Freedom 250, but the win hasn’t settled the argument about who truly rules the division.

White made it clear: that argument will be settled in the cage, not on paper.

Gane’s next bout, White said, will be announced “soon” and is expected to determine the new undisputed heavyweight champion. The opponent is still a matter of debate, but the stakes are not.

“We’ll see how this whole thing plays out with Aspinall,” White said. “Ciryl will fight, and we’ll see who becomes the champion. I mean, this isn’t the first time this has ever happened. It’s happening right now with Valentina Shevchenko too, so this is nothing now. This happens sometimes. It’s unfortunate; it’s not the best outcome, but it is what it is.”

So who stands across from Gane when that undisputed crown goes up for grabs?

Alex Pereira has already thrown himself back into the conversation. The Brazilian recently met with UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell and posed for a photo afterward, instantly igniting speculation of an immediate rematch with Gane. He hasn’t been quiet since their first meeting, repeatedly complaining that Gane landed multiple shots to the back of his head at UFC Freedom 250.

The rankings offer other options. The UFC’s official heavyweight media list has Alexander Volkov sitting at No. 2 behind Gane, with Sergei Pavlovich at No. 3. Both bring danger, both bring credibility. Another name gaining traction is No. 4 Josh Hokit, whose rise has turned him into a dark horse candidate for the shot.

The belt is on Gane’s shoulder. The division, though, is still up for grabs.

The next match-up he signs will decide whether he’s a placeholder champion—or the man who finally brings order to a heavyweight hierarchy stuck in limbo.