Ciryl Gane elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion ahead of UFC 334 clash with Josh Hokit

Ciryl Gane has been elevated to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the title due to ongoing eye issues, and will defend the belt against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in November.

The promotion to undisputed champion comes 24 hours after UFC CEO and President Dana White initially said Gane would not automatically become champion; White later said he had “misspoke.” Dana White is quoted as saying: “Nothing. I f*ck*d up.”

Gane’s interim championship, won in June by stopping Alex Pereira at the White House, has been converted into the undisputed heavyweight title following Aspinall’s decision to vacate. Gane, 36, previously held interim heavyweight gold twice and now becomes the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion for the first time.

The newly crowned champion’s first defence of the undisputed title will be against No. 4 contender Josh Hokit at Madison Square Garden in New York City, a matchup booked after Aspinall’s eye problems prevented him from continuing as champion. The bout is part of the UFC 334 card in November.

Aspinall’s eye issues stem from his October 2025 fight, which was ruled a first-round no-contest after Aspinall suffered an eye poke; he subsequently underwent surgeries and remains sidelined, and vacated the championship earlier this week. The vacancy is the direct reason for Gane’s elevation from interim champion.

Gane’s interim-title victory over Pereira drew controversy, with some fans believing he landed multiple illegal blows to the back of Pereira’s head. UFC 334’s heavyweight title fight will share the Madison Square Garden card with a major women’s bantamweight championship bout between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes.

Amanda Nunes is returning from retirement to challenge her former teammate Kayla Harrison for the bantamweight championship she once held; Nunes has not competed in three years, and Harrison is coming back from a serious neck injury. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson will also face Charles Radtke on the same card in what has been announced as Thompson’s final UFC fight, despite Thompson never having won UFC gold.

The heavyweight title picture could remain unresolved until Aspinall returns and has another opportunity to compete for the championship he vacated. Gane’s first defence of the undisputed heavyweight title is scheduled for UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Nov. 14, when he will face Josh Hokit.