Dana White: Tom Aspinall would have fought at White House if healthy

Dana White has confirmed that UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall would have defended his title against Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 had the champion been healthy. Instead, Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for an interim title in the co-main event due to Aspinall's ongoing recovery from severe eye injuries sustained during his October 2025 no-contest against Gane. White's revelation comes amid lingering tension between the promotion and Aspinall, who publicly rebuked the UFC president's dismissal of his eye surgery and has since signed with the management of Eddie Hearn, a long-standing UFC rival. Hearn has stated his intention to prevent Aspinall from competing under his existing UFC contract, adding further complexity to the champion's future with the organisation.