The lightweight division isn’t the only UFC weight class currently without an active champion.
When Justin Gaethje triumphed over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324, the popular American fighter became a two-time interim 155-pound titleholder on MMA’s biggest stage. This fight was arranged because the reigning champion was unavailable, and Ilya Topuria is set to step away from the UFC in early 2026 to handle personal matters.
Meanwhile, another key heavyweight figure, Tom Aspinall, has also been sidelined due to surgery to repair an eye injury he sustained from a poke by Cyril Gane last October. The heavyweight champion’s return date remains uncertain, prompting one of the division’s leading contenders to push for a decisive move from the UFC.
Waldo Cortez-Acosta is eager to claim the interim UFC heavyweight title while Aspinall recovers. Aspinall has expressed his desire to get revenge on Gane for the foul that caused his injury at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi, but no rematch has been scheduled yet.
In the midst of this uncertainty, Waldo Cortez-Acosta made a case to UFC President Dana White for an interim heavyweight title bout. After his victory over Derrick Lewis at UFC 324, the Dominican contender wants a fight against either Alexander Volkov or Cyril Gane for the newly established interim belt.
“I want to fight Volkov or Gane. They’re waiting,” Cortez-Acosta told Habrmos MMA. “I don’t think Tom Aspinall will be fighting for a while, so why not give him an interim title? The winner will go on to face the champion, but if a rematch between Gane and Aspinall happens, that would be great as well,” he added.
The heavyweight division appears to be heading in a concerning direction. Once a marquee UFC division with stars like Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, and Junior dos Santos, recent events suggest better days might be behind the division.
UFC 325 highlighted this trend, where Tai Tuivasa extended his losing streak to six bouts, and the bout between Tuivasa and Talison Teixeira turned into a slow-paced, stamina-strained contest that left many fans disappointed. Such low-energy fights seem to be the norm outside of a few elite contenders at the top. Some fans are even calling for the UFC to consider eliminating the heavyweight division altogether due to these issues.
Fan Take: This news is crucial for fight fans as it underscores the challenges facing one of the UFC’s most storied divisions amid champion absences and declining fight quality. The direction the heavyweight division takes could have significant implications for the sport’s future marketability and the legacy of MMA’s biggest weight class.
