UFC CEO Dana White says Ciryl Gane is not immediately promoted to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion after Tom Aspinall steps down and vacates the title. White indicates Gane must still earn the top belt through another fight.
Both outlets frame the decision around Aspinall’s departure from the championship picture, leaving the heavyweight title vacant. Yahoo Sports and NDTV both report that Gane is treated as the interim champion and that interim status does not automatically convert into undisputed champion status. The outlets differ mainly in emphasis: Yahoo Sports highlights that Gane must win another bout before using the undisputed champion label, while NDTV focuses on White’s explanation that the interim champion will have to compete for the vacant heavyweight title.
Overall, the reporting agrees that UFC’s next step involves a match that determines the heavyweight champion rather than a direct promotion for Gane.
