For Eddie Hearn, everything comes with a price—just like his admission that he would play along with Tom Aspinall’s usual online antics for the right amount: a few hundred thousand or even a million.
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The Matchroom Talent Agency boss, who signed the UFC heavyweight champion to a commercial deal earlier this year, has since become a key part of Aspinall’s team, so much so that Hearn recently appeared on Tom Aspinall’s YouTube video. Wasting no time, ‘The Honey Badger’ urged Hearn to take part in the infamous ‘dead leg challenge,’ where Aspinall delivers a brutal kick to the thigh. It’s a stunt he’s already pulled off multiple times online, targeting popular names like Sidemen, Big Zuu, and Aitch.
“I’m gonna kick Callum [Smith] from Matchroom because Eddie didn’t want the smoke…,” Aspinall said. “Look, Eddie, if I do Callum 50 [kicks], I’ve got to do you 50 though as well.”
“Because I’ve got a brain! …,” Hearn responded, refusing the idea altogether. “You’re gonna let the UFC world heavyweight champion kick me on the leg? I’m not even getting paid for it! I don’t give a f—k! I’m not having 10%. You want to give me a couple of hundred grand or a million, I’ll do it. I’m not getting a broken and snapped cruciate again, no way!”
Aspinall is currently recovering from the double eye poke incident during his fight against Ciryl Gane last year. He has had two surgeries on his eyes and doesn’t appear to have a return date quite yet. However, Gane is colliding with Alex Pereira during the Freedom 250 card on June 14, and whoever wins would go on to face Aspinall for the full title.
Coming back to Aspinall’s leg kicks, last year, he destroyed an entire group of influencers’ legs, which justifies Hearn’s refusal to be kicked.
Eddie Hearn may have seen Tom Aspinall kick these influencers
Last year in September, Tom Aspinall proved why he’s one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world when he took part in a brutal ‘Dead Leg Challenge’ with a group of influencers. The UFC champion invited members of the Sidemen and fellow creators to line up and absorb leg kicks, with painful—and often hilarious—results.
Zerkaa and Behzinga played it safe, asking for just 30 percent power, but still struggled to handle the impact. Things escalated when Stephen Tries and Jack Joseph pushed for 60 percent. One kick sent Joseph crashing to the mat, quickly regretting the decision.
“Do 100,” Joseph joked before lying down. “Oh yeah, that really hurts after. It’s got a kick to it.”
Despite the punishment, both returned for another round at 65 percent. Watching the damage unfold, Aspinall admitted, “I feel bad… He was only a little fella.”
From the looks of things, Eddie Hearn made the right decision to avoid letting Tom Aspinall kick his leg. But would you have wanted to see Hearn absorb a brutal kick?
