Tom Aspinall Didn’t Want to Come Back After UFC and Fans Turned on Him, Says Eddie Hearn

Popular British promoter Eddie Hearn talks about UFC heavyweight Tom Aspinall getting affected by UFC's lack of support..

Tom Aspinall Didn’t Want to Come Back After UFC and Fans Turned on Him, Says Eddie Hearn

Eddie Hearn talks about Tom Aspinall's relationship with UFC (via X)

In Short
  • Tom Aspinall's confidence was significantly impacted after facing criticism for stopping a fight due to an eye poke.
  • Eddie Hearn signed Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency, highlighting his potential and professionalism.
  • The disparity in fighter pay between boxing and UFC has raised concerns among athletes, with Aspinall commenting on the issue.

Since getting promoted as the undisputed champion, Tom Aspinall’s reign as the UFC heavyweight champion hasn’t been smooth, facing setbacks and uncertainty. Last year at UFC 321, Aspinall suffered an accidental eye poke while defending his belt against Ciryl Gane, forcing the fight to stop. Since then, the British heavyweight has been recovering from the injury, but the situation has only worsened over time.

Following the injury, Aspinall faced criticism for stopping the fight, with many claiming he should have continued despite the painful eye poke. Several critics and experts even accused the heavyweight champion of faking the injury, questioning the legitimacy of the medical reports. 

Aspinall also received little public support from UFC, and CEO Dana White also made backhanded remarks regarding the fighter’s health situation. Recently, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn signed Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency and addressed the heavyweight champion’s ongoing situation.

I actually couldn’t believe how broken [Tom Aspinall’s] confidence was. He was just so down in the dumps. The difference between that initial conversation and seeing him at the press conference last week was like night and day, a completely different man. He is absolutely buzzing. He just can’t wait to get back, whereas before, I found a guy who didn’t really want to come back.

Eddie Hearn via The Ariel Helwani Show

Hearn previously explained that the partnership came together through mutual contacts in combat sports and praised Aspinall’s professionalism and marketability. Speaking about the deal, Hearn said Aspinall was “an incredible athlete with huge potential,” and the agency would help build his brand globally.

This development took place after Dana White signed Conor Benn for a whopping $15 million following his beef with Hearn. Previously, there were reports surrounding UFC forcing Tom Aspinall to vacate his heavyweight belt. UFC superstars like Sean O’Malley advised the UK fighter not to be on the bad side of the UFC top brass.

Recently, UFC announced the White House event card, and in the co-main event, Alex Pereira will fight Ciryl Gane. Both fighters will battle it out for the interim heavyweight championship, and the hype around it is huge. The winner of the bout will eventually fight Tom Aspinall, and the UK champion is ready for the challenge. 

Tom Aspinall speaks on the recent Zuffa Boxing $15 million signing 

Since launching Zuffa Boxing, Dana White has been involved in a heated rivalry with British boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. The conflict escalated quickly as both promoters exchanged sharp public comments, turning what began as business competition into something more personal.

Tom Aspinall talks about Conor Benn’s signing
Tom Aspinall talks about Conor Benn’s signing (via X)

White criticized Hearn’s career, claiming the promoter achieved success mainly because of his father’s influence and established boxing connections. Hearn fired back, mocking White and suggesting the UFC boss now worked under Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh. The rivalry intensified further when White unexpectedly signed Conor Benn for $15 million. 

That massive signing quickly sparked debate across combat sports about pay differences between boxing contracts and typical UFC fighter earnings. Several analysts and fighters pointed out that many elite UFC champions earn far less than top boxing contenders. UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall also addressed the situation recently, sharing his thoughts on the ongoing debate.

I think it’s bothered everybody. One guy’s getting paid $15 million and the other guy’s getting $15K. I think that’s a big difference mate. 

Tom Aspinall via Pro Boxing Fans 

Eddie Hearn previously predicted that several UFC fighters could protest against the promotion’s management following the recent boxing deal. He suggested the massive paydays in boxing could frustrate UFC athletes who feel underpaid compared to fighters in boxing.

Dana White addressed the criticism directly and questioned why people were getting angry about athletes earning significant money. His blunt response has raised questions about the UFC’s future relationship with fighters and possible tensions over pay.

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