Tom Aspinall’s standing with the UFC has grown more complicated. The undisputed heavyweight champion has not fought since October, and his manager, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, is now publicly pushing back against the terms of his UFC contract. A Tom Aspinall UFC Contract Dispute Escalates With Matchroom Deal and it has become the talk of the town. The dispute has escalated to the point where Hearn says he won’t let Aspinall fight again under his current deal.
The Snub That Started It
Aspinall has been sidelined since suffering serious eye injuries against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 last October, when he was poked in both eyes during the fight. He underwent multiple surgeries and has only recently resumed light training. While he recovers, the UFC booked an interim heavyweight title fight between Gane and Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250, with the winner expected to eventually face Aspinall in a unification bout.
Hearn, who signed Aspinall to his Matchroom Talent Agency in March, said the UFC did not invite Aspinall to attend the Freedom 250 event despite the interim title fight being built around facing him next. At a Dublin press conference, Hearn said he would not allow Aspinall to take that unification fight under his current contract terms, calling the financial split disrespectful given the size of the event.
Hearn’s Pressure Campaign
Hearn has since gone further, publicly asking Dana White to release Aspinall from his UFC contract entirely. He offered to personally guarantee Aspinall at least three times his current UFC pay if White agreed to let him go. The UFC has not responded publicly to that offer.
Despite the dispute, Hearn says Aspinall has no plans to leave the UFC for boxing. The partnership with Matchroom has focused entirely on commercial opportunities outside the Octagon, including brand deals, media appearances, and a podcast, all of which Hearn says have already generated more money for Aspinall than his actual fighting purses this year.
Aspinall told reporters recently that his eyes are improving and that he is following doctors’ orders as he works toward a return. He has not ruled out fighting the Pereira-Gane winner, but Hearn maintains that fight will not happen under the current contract.
A Title Picture Stuck in Limbo
This dispute puts the entire heavyweight title picture on hold. Aspinall became undisputed champion only after Jon Jones chose to retire rather than face him, and now the champion himself is in a standoff that could delay his next title defense even further. If the contract issue is not resolved, the winner of Pereira vs. Gane could be left waiting on a unification fight that has no clear timeline.
The situation also reflects a larger pattern across the sport. Several UFC fighters have grown more vocal about pay in 2026, and Aspinall’s case has become the most visible example given his status as a reigning champion in one of the sport’s premier divisions. Hearn’s public pressure campaign adds outside leverage that few UFC champions have had access to before.
How Aspinall Got Here
Aspinall built his case as champion with knockout wins, stopping Sergei Pavlovich for the interim title and later defending it against Curtis Blaydes. A dream fight against Jon Jones never materialized, but Aspinall was elevated to undisputed champion when Jones stepped away from competition.
Hearn’s involvement adds another layer of complexity. His ongoing rivalry with UFC CEO Dana White intensified after boxer Conor Benn left Matchroom to sign with White’s new Zuffa Boxing promotion. Signing Pereira’s future opponent in Aspinall, and later welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry, has only added more friction between the two sides.
Conclusion
Aspinall remains the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion, but his path back to the Octagon now runs through a contract standoff as much as his recovery. With Hearn refusing to back down and the UFC staying largely quiet in public, the heavyweight division’s biggest fight may end up waiting on a negotiation rather than a training camp.
