Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn revealed plans to represent additional UFC fighters after signing heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall to his Matchroom Talent Agency last week, amid growing fighter dissatisfaction with UFC pay and interest from stars like Michael Page and Israel Adesanya. Hearn hinted at a potential 'revolution' in MMA compensation.
Last Friday, Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Talent Agency signed UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall to a commercial advisory deal focused on sponsorships and business opportunities outside the octagon—see prior coverage on the announcement. This move, amid UFC CEO Dana White's poaching of boxer Conor Benn for Zuffa Boxing in a reported $15 million deal, has sparked backlash over pay disparities.
Hearn criticized UFC earnings, noting Aspinall's record-breaking events at London's O2 Arena generate massive revenue yet pay less than lesser boxing bouts. "I come from a world where, if a fighter was generating that much revenue, they would be making five, six, seven times more," Hearn told The Ariel Helwani Show. He highlighted Benn's pay as 10-15 times Aspinall's, despite UFC's $7.7 billion media deal.
The Aspinall deal followed his October 2025 UFC 321 no-contest against Ciryl Gane due to eye pokes, requiring surgeries and drawing White's criticism. Hearn recalled Aspinall's initial surprise: "The first conversation... he actually said, ‘Why? Why are you interested in me?'"
Since then, around a dozen UFC fighters—including Michael Page, Aljamain Sterling, Israel Adesanya, and Sean O'Malley—have approached Matchroom. "We’ve had a dozen fighters approach us from the UFC," Hearn said, planning to sign several. "It’s almost like a revolution, and it’s going to be really interesting."
Hearn will proceed quietly amid ongoing tensions with White, who has personally called him out.
