UFC CEO and President Dana White claims he doesn’t have any issues with boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
After Zuffa Boxing signed up Connor Benn, who previously fought under Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing banner, White had asked media members if there was a “bigger p*ssy” than Hearn. On Thursday, White’s heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, crossed the picket line, so to speak, in the other direction, signing with Hearn. Not, it should be noted, to fight, but instead for management services.
Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency will now handle negotiations for Aspinall, who has not fought since October, when his UFC 321 main event against Ciryl Gane ended prematurely (and in a No Contest) due to eye pokes. Aspinall remains in recovery after double eye surgery.
At Thursday’s UFC 326 pre-fight press conference, White responded to Aspinall signing with Hearn after one journalist raised the idea that the UFC exec had issues with his boxing counterpart.
“We don’t have any issues with Eddie. They can get whoever they want to represent them,” stated White. “Tito Ortiz used to represent people and we got it done.”
White and Ortiz had a heated rivalry during the latter’s UFC career, although things weren’t always that way. At one point, White was actually Ortiz’s manager. The relationship soon soured, however, and as recently as this past January, White was still badmouthing the retired UFC legend.
Time will tell what’s next for Aspinall. He was notoriously rejected by Jon Jones in favor of a fight with Alex Pereira. While Jones briefly retired last year, he’s been in negotiations for a fight at the UFC’s White House event in June. All signs point towards the opponent being “Poatan,” who is vacating his light heavyweight title.