Breaking the Contract: Eddie Hearn Pushes to Free Tom Aspinall from the UFC

An intense cross-promotional battle is brewing as Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn attempts to orchestrate an exit strategy for UFC heavyweight standout Tom Aspinall.

The strategy hinges on a high-stakes trade involving a completely separate legal dispute. Hearn is currently preparing litigation against Zuffa Boxing—the newly launched promotional venture helmed by UFC CEO Dana White—after welterweight star Conor Benn unexpectedly severed ties with Matchroom to sign with White's firm.

Describing Benn's departure as a deeply personal betrayal, Hearn has now offered a surprising compromise: he will completely drop the impending lawsuit if the UFC agrees to release Aspinall from his current contract.

Aspinall recently signed a commercial and advisory deal with Hearn’s new talent management agency, putting the boxing promoter in a position to advocate for the fighter's financial interests. Hearn has been highly critical of the UFC's compensation model, publicly stating that the 33-year-old heavyweight champion is severely underpaid given his dominant run of first-round finishes.

To back up his claims, Hearn has put a written guarantee on the table, promising that Aspinall would earn anywhere from three to six times his current UFC salary under Matchroom's guidance, whether he chooses to compete in boxing or external mixed martial arts promotions.

Currently, the heavyweight star is recovering from double eye surgery following repeated eye pokes in his October bout against Ciryl Gane. Hearn has used the post-fight fallout to fuel the fire, accusing Dana White of humiliating Aspinall by failing to support him during the injury controversy.

While the UFC has shown no intention of letting one of its biggest stars walk away, Hearn's aggressive tactical maneuver has successfully forced the ongoing debate over fighter pay back into the combat sports spotlight.