Tom Aspinall signs for Eddie Hearn in shock announcement which leaves UFC career in jeopardy

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has stunningly joined forces with Eddie Hearn.

Aspinall, who hasn’t fought since being brutally eye-poked at UFC 321 in October, was announced on Thursday as the first signing to Hearn’s newly-launched Matchroom Talent Agency.

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What is Tom Aspinall’s role with Eddie Hearn?

It’s unclear what Aspinall will be doing under Hearn, but it’s been labelled as a ‘commercial and advisory role.’

Hearn is now representing Aspinall on all fronts, handling his business inside and outside of the Octagon.

Just last month, Aspinall admitted he ‘hated’ the business side of operations in the fight game when discussing his return to the UFC.

The 32-year-old was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome after his fight with Ciry Gane in Abu Dhabi and underwent double-eye surgery last month in Manchester.

White had claimed the champion suffered ‘no damage to the eye’ when speaking on the Gane fight weeks later — comments that left Aspinall ‘very disappointed.’

The new partnership means Hearn will be present at the table for any future fight negotiations of Aspinall’s in the UFC.

While the deal comes under the management, not promotional, banner, Hearn’s boxing rival, White, will no doubt be left with food for thought regarding his champion’s future.

Aspinall delighted to work with Hearn as ‘journey back into the cage’ continues

“I’m really excited to welcome Eddie [Hearn] and the Matchroom Sport group in a commercial and advisory role, and to become the first athlete to join the new Matchroom Talent Agency,” Aspinall said.

“Eddie has built one of the biggest brands in Sport and understands how to take athletes to the next level, both inside and outside of competition.

“I’m really looking forward to working together and exploring some exciting opportunities as I continue my journey back into the cage.”

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Of course, the news of Aspinall’s deal with Hearn comes just weeks after White signed Conor Benn to Zuffa Boxing.

White shocked the combat sports world last month when he signed Benn to his new boxing promotion, leaving rival Hearn, who looked after the British boxer since his professional debut, devastated.

Reports suggested that Benn’s contract with Zuffa Boxing is a one-fight deal worth $15m, with the 29-year-old set to face Regis Prograis on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov in London next month.

Hearn and White have traded grim verbal blows since, with the latter suggesting entering the sweet science was like ‘beating up babies.’

The former said he wasn’t expecting White to be ‘flustered so early’ after White accused him of lacking vision in boxing.

Speaking on his deal with Aspinall, Hearn said: “I started my professional career in athlete management and over the past 30 years, I have built a wealth of experience in building global superstars.”

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“We believe in partnership and transparency with our clients, but most importantly, always delivering exceptional and innovative work.

“Grounded in honesty and fierce commitment, Matchroom Talent Agency is about transforming careers through relentless ambition and telling it straight.

“At the heart of everything we’ve done as a business over the last 40 years is identifying ordinary people who have extraordinary talent.

“It has become a guiding principle to seek out people who are humble but heroic in equal measure. Their journey is our journey. Their triumph, our purpose.

“UFC world heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is the perfect embodiment of that – and he is the ideal, inaugural member of our team.

“We believe in creating opportunities where others see obstacles in turning potential into greatness. So, the message is loud and clear to all: Join us on this journey. We are officially open for business.”

Dana White: I respect Aspinall and he will fight again in UFC

Speaking before Hearn’s announcement on the Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube channel, White discussed his current relationship with Aspinall.

“He is my heavyweight champion…” White said in the conversation set to air tonight.

“The company has talked to him. I haven’t talked to him. And Tom and I obviously need to talk.

“He came out recently or his dad [did] too, saying that they felt like I was, I don’t know how they said it, but that I had sort of s*** on him – in the way that I had spoken about his eye injury, which was absolutely, positively not the case.

“Tom Aspinall is a guy that I respect. He’s been great to work with, the whole time he’s been here in the UFC and never once did I question his injury or speak negatively about it.

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“I said something once, that I said, ‘I think he’s okay, and I think he’s going to be good’. And they came out and said, ‘No, that’s not the case’.

“And they said, ‘I haven’t even talked to Dana and I don’t know why you would say that’. But, you know, obviously, my medical team is talking to him and that was what I had thought.

“And they thought that I had knocked him in some way, which I absolutely, positively didn’t. And wouldn’t.

“I like him very much and respect him. I’ve never had a problem with Tom Aspinall.”

Asked if he will fight again, White was upbeat, saying, ‘I do.’

He explained: “Well, he’s still dealing with whatever’s going on with his eyes.

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“And obviously, over the last 30 years of being in this business, I’ve seen injuries that I questioned whether guys would come back from and they always have, including eye pokes, but who knows?

“But if you ask me, sitting right here, right now, ‘Do I think Tom Aspinall will compete again?’ I would say, ‘yes’.”

Aspinall has lost just once in the UFC, suffering a nasty knee injury just 15 seconds into his fight with Curtis Blaydes in 2022.

He bounced back in his seventh UFC fight by emphatically knocking out Marcin Tybura before winning the interim heavyweight title crown at UFC 295.

Aspinall defended his interim status against Blaydes in July 2024 and was then elevated to undisputed champion 11 months later when Jon Jones announced his retirement — a decision he has since backtracked on.

The Englishman then fought Gane in the main event of UFC 321, with the fight ending in a no-contest as the champion was unable to continue.