UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has signed a commercial and advisory deal with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn's new Matchroom Talent Agency to manage his brand and boost earnings outside the octagon, while remaining contracted to the UFC. Announced on March 5, 2026, the move is influenced by Conor Benn's reported £11m ($15m) Zuffa Boxing deal and underscores MMA fighter pay concerns amid tensions between Hearn and UFC president Dana White.
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, the 32-year-old Englishman with eight UFC wins—all by stoppage, including seven first-round finishes—announced on Thursday, March 5, 2026, his partnership with Eddie Hearn's newly launched Matchroom Talent Agency. The agreement is commercial and advisory, focused on enhancing Aspinall's brand, securing commercial opportunities, and providing management without affecting his UFC contract.
Aspinall cited boxer Conor Benn's £11m ($15m) one-fight deal with Dana White's Zuffa Boxing—signed two weeks earlier after leaving Hearn's Matchroom Boxing—as a key motivator. "I think if one guy gets $15m [£11m] and the other guy gets $15k [£11,000], that's a big deal to make, which is part of the reason I want to explore other options," Aspinall said at a news conference. He aims to "be a trailblazer for MMA fighters who can make a lot of money and be successful outside the octagon as well as inside." Reflecting on recent challenges, he added that his injury taught him to "make as much money and be as ruthless as possible. Nobody in there is your friend."
The deal highlights stark pay disparities: UFC fighters earn 16-20% of revenue, compared to up to 80% in boxing. Hearn noted that more than half a dozen UFC fighters have approached his agency, saying, "They feel like they’re not getting what they deserve." He praised Aspinall's potential, questioning, "How is this guy not an even bigger star? How does he not have the backing?"
Tensions stem from a public feud between Hearn and White, exacerbated by Aspinall's October 2025 title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321, which ended in a no-contest due to repeated eye pokes, requiring double eye surgery in February 2026. White had publicly suggested Aspinall "didn’t want to continue," prompting criticism. At the UFC 326 press conference, White responded to the deal: "We don’t have any issues with Eddie. They can get whoever they want to represent them." Despite the feud, Hearn said it would not impact Aspinall's UFC standing, and White affirmed respect for Aspinall.
Aspinall, planning a quick return to the octagon, ruled out boxing soon due to UFC rules. Hearn also eyes free agent Francis Ngannou, who left the PFL after one fight in October 2024.
