Hearn demands UFC release Aspinall amid contract dispute
Matchroom Sport head Eddie Hearn has called for the release of heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, describing the fighter’s current compensation as unacceptable and accusing UFC president Dana White of arrogance.
Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has publicly urged UFC president Dana White to release heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall from his current contract, intensifying a growing dispute between the two combat sports figures. Hearn, who signed Aspinall to his agency in March, described the champion as "extremely unhappy" and "grossly underpaid," offering to pay him at least three times his current UFC salary.
The request forms part of an escalating war of words between Hearn and White, which has sharpened following the departure of boxer Conor Benn to Zuffa Boxing. Hearn characterised White as "arrogant and deluded," accusing the UFC president of making up "fabricated bulls***" in their ongoing public feud. He suggested that White should be happy for Aspinall to secure a better deal, citing White’s previous comments that fighters should earn as much money as possible.
Hearn offered to guarantee in writing that he would pay Aspinall a minimum of three times his current UFC salary, potentially up to five times more. He described Aspinall’s existing contract as "one of the worst, most grossly underpaid athletes I have ever seen in a commercial world sport." The promoter argued that the fighter, a working-class man who puts his body through significant strain, deserves every penny he can get.
The tension between the promoters has been exacerbated by Aspinall’s ongoing recovery from his late-2025 title defence against Ciryl Gane. The fight ended due to eye-pokes from Gane, and Aspinall has stated he did not feel supported by White in the aftermath. Seven months on, the champion remains in recovery, a situation Hearn has highlighted to underscore the need for contractual change.
In a bid to resolve his own legal disputes with White regarding the Benn situation, Hearn offered to settle the matter if the UFC releases Aspinall. The open market for Aspinall appears increasingly viable, with the recent entry of MVP and Netflix into MMA and the impending return of veteran promoter Scott Coker with a $60 million war chest. Hearn indicated that he is looking at compensation levels across combat sports globally and believes "things need to change."
