UFC champ Tom Aspinall finds common ground with English footballer

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is sidelined with an eye injury sustained during his first title defense against Ciryl Gane last year, leaving him unable to attend the historic UFC card at the White House on Sunday. In a notable coincidence, Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has also missed out on representing England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in America. The two athletes recently crossed paths and found common ground over their shared exclusion from major events in their respective sports occurring in the United States.

Meanwhile, the UFC heavyweight division remains in flux. Ciryl Gane is scheduled to face Alex Pereira for an interim title in the co-main event at the White House, a bout that would typically have the reigning champion in attendance. A unification fight between Aspinall and the interim title winner would be the logical next step, yet complications loom. Pereira has signaled he will not wait for Aspinall to recover if he captures the belt, and the fighter's manager, Eddie Hearn—a known rival of UFC president Dana White—has indicated he would not permit Aspinall to fight under his current UFC contract. The situation threatens to cloud the path forward for the heavyweight championship.