Alexander Volkanovski delivered yet again last weekend when he defeated Diego Lopes via unanimous decision at UFC 325. And for the UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, it was Volkanovski’s best performance ever. While Volkanovski outperformed Lopes in the match, fans mocked Aspinall for his reaction, given the Australian’s previous performances against former champions. As debates over Volkanovski’s showing gathered momentum, UFC fight odds at Stake echoed the renewed intrigue surrounding his standing among the sport’s elite.

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Aspinall was watching the UFC 325 fight between Volkanovski and Lopes live from his home. After five rounds of action, the scorecard for the bout read 49-46 x 2 and 50-45. However, given Volk’s previous fights against Max Holloway and Jose Aldo, where he defeated his opponents by a big margin, fans did not take Aspinall’s comments.

Fans poke fun at Tom Aspinall’s UFC 325 assessment

Citing his performance against Holloway at UFC 276, fans downplayed Tom Aspinall’s assessment. “He literally had a 5-0 on all 3 judges’ scorecards against prime Max Holloway,” one fan commented. While this user simply pointed out a more decisive performance of Volkanovski, others saw this as an opportunity to berate Aspinall. “Tom, get those eyes checked again, mate!” In his last fight against Ciryl Gane, Aspinall got eye poked several times, for which the fight was called off. And for that, the netizens raised a question: “How much damage did Ciryl do 😭”

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Amid that, many also kept highlighting Volkanovski’s dominating performance against Holloway in their trilogy fight. “Tbh could argue 50-44. That fight was crazy for Volk.” However, a majority of fans still took brutal digs at the UFC heavyweight champion. As such, one user believed that since Aspinall was watching fights on television, maybe his eyes had recovered. “Looks like the dude can see just fine! Time to book the HW championship fight or move on @ufc,” the netizen commented.

While one of the fans called for Aspinall to return inside the Octagon, there is still uncertainty around the UFC heavyweight champion’s return timeline.

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When can Tom Aspinall make his return?

Tom Aspinall was visibly distressed inside the UFC 321 octagon after Ciryl Gane landed a few eye pokes on him. He kept iterating that he was having difficulties to see clearly. And for that reason, the fight was called off and ruled as a no-contest. After scans and evaluations, Aspinall was diagnosed with Brown’s Syndrome and had to undergo surgery.

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For Aspinall, he is now unsure about his return timeline. “It’s been a bit of a long process. With other injuries, they just fix them straight away. With eyes, they try to let them, because it’s obviously risky, they try to let them heal naturally. So we’re getting surgery,” said Aspinall during a conversation with Paddy Pimblett.

He further noted that the recovery process is very slow in such injuries: “They’re keeping me out for a little bit, not sure how long just yet though. I’ve got a meeting about it soon. It’s just been a slow process. It’s been a nightmare, to be honest.”

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As it seems, Aspinall wants to come back soon. But he is just helpless at the moment because of the injury. Amid that, the UFC heavyweight division seemingly wants to keep moving as rumors about a potential interim title fight between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane surface.

However, the UFC is yet to make any official announcement around it. On that note, would an interim heavyweight title be something that the fans want now? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Nilaav Ranjan Gogoi

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Nilaav Gogoi is an NFL Writer at EssentiallySports, where he covers the league's news cycle with a focus on player storylines, off-field and legal developments, and the reactions that follow the NFL's biggest controversies. His reporting ranges across teams like the Browns, Steelers, Eagles, and Giants, tracking everything from roster drama to the veteran voices weighing in on the league's hot-button moments. A former national-level athlete, Nilaav brings a competitive perspective to his writing, pairing technical insight with clear, accessible storytelling. He moved to football after more than two years covering MMA and boxing on the combat sports beat. He is also pursuing a degree in Sports Management, approaching his work with analytical rigor and long-term industry awareness, aiming to deliver informed, engaging coverage for NFL fans.

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Ashvinkumar Nilkanth Patil