Wrestling Inc. is expanding its coverage into MMA. Here’s some of the latest news we’ve been working on.
Dana White dismissed any issues negotiating with Eddie Hearn after the announcement that he had signed UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall to Matchroom Talent Agency.
The announcement was made on Thursday that Aspinall would be the inaugural member of the new talent agency, and the timing was ever more significant given Hearn and White’s public back-and-forth after Zuffa Boxing signed former Matchroom boxer Conor Benn to a $15 million deal.
“We don’t have an issue with Eddie. They can get whoever they want to represent them. Tito Ortiz used to represent people and we got it done,” White said of the deal during the UFC 326 press conference.
Aspinall has been on the sidelines since October last year, having sustained an eye injury after repeated pokes from Ciryl Gane – resulting in the fight being called for a no-contest – and requiring multiple surgeries.
“Obviously, we’re still recovering,” Aspinall said in the aftermath of the announcement in a video posted to his YouTube channel on Thursday. “But I’m looking to get back in there as soon as possible. So I just want to maximize the time that I’ve got in the sport, grow more commercially. And do it with, you know, expand my team a little bit, make it as big and powerful as possible.”
Hearn also appeared in the video to talk about the deal, confirming that Aspinall is still signed to the UFC and clarifying that this isn’t about bringing him from MMA and into boxing.
“Look, he has a contract with UFC. So that’s not – this isn’t about bringing him into boxing. This is a commercial representation and advisory capacity to help him across all of his business.”
Read the full article here
