The heavyweight title vacuum and new UFC scheduling
The heavyweight division lacks an undisputed champion as Ciryl Gane holds the interim belt following his TKO victory over Alex Pereira. Meanwhile, the UFC has implemented a new 9 p.m. ET main card start time for numbered events under its Paramount+ media rights deal.
The heavyweight vacancy
Aspinall vacated the heavyweight title on September 14, 2026. This decision followed his medical struggle to heal his eyes after Ciryl Gane landed an eye poke during their fight at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25, 2025. That bout ended in a no contest after Gane’s fingers entered the eye sockets of Aspinall. The Abu Dhabi event drew an attendance of 13,220. Gane currently holds an interim heavyweight title after he defeated Alex Pereira via TKO at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026. The fight in Washington, D.C. was part of the UFC Freedom 250 card, which prompted discussions regarding illegal blows to the back of the head. The heavyweight division lacks an undisputed champion as the schedule moves toward 2027. Aspinall, who is 32 years old and hails from Salford, England, remains sidelined while Gane, age 35, occupies the interim spot following their contentious and injury-filled encounter at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. Aspinall has 15 wins and 3 losses, including 12 knockouts. He earned his 12th career knockout win by defeating Curtis Blaydes in just 60 seconds at UFC 304. Gane holds recent victories, including a TKO of Sergey Spivak at 3:44 of the second round at UFC Paris and a split decision win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 310. Gane is a former interim champion.
Schedule shifts and new costs
The UFC transitioned all numbered events to Paramount+ starting in 2026. This move follows a seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with Skydance Corporation. The agreement includes 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights. The company enforced a new main card start time of 9 p.m. ET for these events. This is a one hour shift from the previous 10 p.m. ET standard.
| Event Stage | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Early Prelims | 5 p.m. |
| Prelims | 7 p.m. |
| Main Card | 9 p.m. |
Subscription costs for the Paramount+ era include a $7.99 monthly fee for basic plans and $12.99 for premium tiers. These rates increase to $8.99 and $13.99 in January. Aspinall previously pushed for a unification fight against Jon Jones. Jones rejected this request on X, calling Aspinall a potential hype train that may not be around in three years. Aspinall, who trains at Robin Park in Wigan, argued that the Manchester start times for UFC 304 were unfair to UK fans and European viewers. He noted that the schedule focuses on the American audience. You should monitor how these scheduling changes impact the upcoming international cards.
Future of the heavyweight title
The heavyweight landscape remains chaotic heading into 2027. Gane holds the interim belt, but the UFC must name an undisputed champion. One option involves promoting Gane to undisputed status, though this remains disputed among fans. Another path requires a fight for the vacant belt. Aspinall’s status as the former interim champion makes his position complicated. Aspinall won his interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds at UFC 295 in November 2023. Gane has a 2-0 record in interim title fights. He previously won an interim title by defeating Derrick Lewis at UFC 265. The division lacks a clear leader since Francis Ngannou left for the PFL and Jon Jones remains inactive in the Octagon. Jones, age 37, has held the heavyweight title since March 2023 and has only defended it once. Jones holds an 18-match unbeaten streak and has won 14 title fights. Jones has also spent time training in Thailand. Francis Ngannou won the lineal title by beating Stipe Miocic at UFC 270 in January 2022. Will the UFC force a unification bout between the interim winner and the top contender?
