Eddie Hearn draws line in the sand over Tom Aspinall’s UFC deal. The ongoing tension between boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and UFC CEO Dana White has escalated once again, and this time UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is at the center of the storm.
Hearn has made it clear that he does not want Aspinall returning to the Octagon under the terms of his current UFC contract, arguing that one of the promotion’s biggest stars is being paid far less than he deserves.
Speaking at a recent media event, Hearn did not mince words when discussing Aspinall’s future. The Matchroom boss stated that he would not support Aspinall taking a fight against either Alex Pereira or Ciryl Gane under his existing UFC deal, claiming the financial terms are unfair compared to the revenue such a blockbuster heavyweight fight would generate.
“It’s really interesting what’s happening in the UFC right now,” Hearn told Bloody Elbow. “There is a monumental change for the swing of the business. They’ve got to be careful, because at the end of the day, I’m not going to let Tom Aspinall fight for the kind of money that’s in his contract, to be involved in a fight against [Alex] Pereira or [Ciryl] Gane for literally one fiftieth of the revenue for that show. F*ck that! I won’t let him do it.”
“It’s time those UFC fighters stop being mugs and start to understand that these people are taking advantage of them. They deserve better. They don’t mind paying these [boxers] all this money, but they won’t do it for the UFC fighters.” “I’m saying my advice to Tom Aspinall will be, ‘Don’t you dare take that fight for the money that’s in your contract. You are one of the biggest stars in UFC. That fight against Pereira or Gane is one of the biggest fights the UFC can make,’” Hearn said.
“I will tell you the number in time, if we get to that. UFC fans, everybody will be sick to their stomach about the money Tom Aspinall is supposed to get for that fight, for the revenue that exists for that fight. It’s not fair. “We’re not trying to be unreasonable, but my advice to him is, ‘Mate, you don’t need them. You nearly lost your eyesight. You had four operations on your eyes, and you want to go back and fight for virtually nothing in this fight, in a rematch?’ He knows no better; he’s a fighter. Trust me when I say I know what I’m talking about, and it’s outrageous. And I will do everything I can to not allow it.”
The contract dispute comes while Aspinall continues recovering from a serious eye injury suffered during his title fight with Ciryl Gane, which ended in a no contest after an accidental double eye poke. Aspinall has undergone multiple procedures during his recovery and remains sidelined with no confirmed return date. significantly more money before stepping back into the cage. newest chapter in the growing feud between Hearn and White. Since signing Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency earlier this year, Hearn has openly criticized UFC fighter pay and even challenged White to release Aspinall from his UFC contract, promising he could earn at least three times more elsewhere.
Tom Aspinall may not be fighting right now, but he’s already at the center of one of the biggest stories in combat sports. As Eddie Hearn pushes for a bigger payday and Dana White shows no signs of backing down, the heavyweight champion finds himself caught between two of the most powerful figures in the business. The next move belongs to Aspinall but the entire fight world will be watching
