Tom Aspinall has a clear message for the MMA world: he's not going anywhere, and he's coming back for his belt.

After recent speculation that his decision to sign with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn was a jab at UFC CEO Dana White, Aspinall is setting the record straight. The reigning UFC heavyweight champion is laser-focused on defending his title—and he knows exactly who he'll have to beat to do it.

While Aspinall recovers from double eye surgery, the UFC has already set the stage for his next challenge. On June 14, at UFC Freedom 250, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane will square off for the interim heavyweight title in a fight that has fight fans buzzing. And according to Aspinall, the winner will have a date with him.

"Alex and Ciryl have to fight for the interim title. I'm obviously going to fight the winner," Aspinall said on his YouTube channel. "The UFC have told me that I'm fighting the winner. First and foremost, I have to get my health right—which is on the right track. I have to wait for that to be done, and we fight the winner. Simple as that."

The 15-3 heavyweight has already returned to training, though he's still under doctor's orders to avoid sparring. But the timeline is coming into focus.

"No specific month. I'm waiting to get clearance, which is going to be coming soon, they've just told me," Aspinall explained. "Any specific month depends on the UFC. Those other two have got to fight each other. Let them do their thing first, recover from that, and then when everybody is ready, we'll do it."

For now, Aspinall is playing the waiting game—but the path is clear. Whether it's the striking wizardry of Pereira or the technical prowess of Gane, the interim champion will have to go through the man who never lost his belt. And for fans of the heavyweight division, that's a fight worth the wait.