“F—ing disgrace.” Eddie Hearn, the newly appointed manager of Tom Aspinall, used those words to describe the UFC heavyweight champion’s contract, sparking widespread debate over how the promotion pays one of its biggest stars today. Now, the controversy has only intensified, as a former champion has stepped forward and shared his own experience, highlighting just how shockingly low his pay was for his first title fight.

This week, former two-time UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw appeared on the Jaxxon Podcast alongside Bear Degidio and Demetrious Johnson. On the show, Dillashaw broke down his early contract after winning The Ultimate Fighter and, interestingly, explained how frustrated he felt heading into his first title shot, even admitting he wanted to “rip” the deal apart.

Former champion recalls how little he earned in his first UFC title fight

“You know, I was on the Ultimate Fighter contract. I was fighting for a world title for $18,000, where I got to rip that contract up… because you’re on a 10-fight contract when you get off The Ultimate Fighter, and you start off at 10 and 10. After three wins, you go to 14 and 14. After another three wins, you go to 18 and 18. Jesus.

So I was getting paid 18 to show and 18 to win against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and I shocked the world.”

Now retired, TJ Dillashaw built himself into one of the most recognizable stars in the UFC during his prime. Although he fell short on The Ultimate Fighter, the promotion still signed him, and he made the most of that opportunity from the start.

He opened his UFC career with a four-fight win streak. However, after suffering a setback, he quickly bounced back and put together another four-fight run, which earned him a title shot against Renan Barão in one of the biggest fights of that era.

At the time, Barão ruled the division like a final boss. He carried a 32-fight unbeaten streak and had already beaten top names like former champion Urijah Faber. He also defended his title against contenders such as Michael McDonald and Eddie Wineland, along with a second win over Faber.

At UFC 173, Barão entered his fourth title defense as a massive -1000 favorite. However, TJ Dillashaw stepped in and flipped every prediction. He outstruck Barão with sharp combinations, broke him down round by round, and finished him with a fifth-round knockout to claim the belt. That win changed his life overnight.

Still, Dana White and the UFC continue to face criticism over fighter pay. For example, fighters like Jake Paul and Francis Ngannou have repeatedly called out the promotion, labeling its system as “capitalist” and unfavorable to athletes.

This year, the issue has come back into focus again. In fact, Jon Jones claims he pushed back during negotiations for a potential fight against Alex Pereira at the UFC White House event. Jones reportedly asked for $30 million, while the UFC offered around $15 million.

Tensions escalated further when Jones learned that, under Zuffa Boxing, the promotion offered a similar $15 million deal to 29-year-old boxer Conor Benn. As a result, Jones stepped away from negotiations, and the fight fell through. He took it as “disrespect” after giving 16 years of his career to the UFC.

Now, Jon Jones has distanced himself from the promotion. At the same time, Ronda Rousey has criticized the UFC, arguing that the company now prioritizes cost-efficient matchups instead of making the biggest and best fights that demand higher payouts. So, Rousey has moved forward with Jake Paul’s MVP promotion for her MMA comeback, targeting her long-awaited clash against Gina Carano.

Their arguments carry weight, and Dillashaw’s revelation puts things in perspective. Recently, Tom Aspinall revealed details of his contract, and those figures reportedly even made his manager laugh.

Tom Aspinall reveals contract details that left his manager “giggling”

Earlier this year, Tom Aspinall caught many off guard when he signed with Eddie Hearn as his manager, making a clear move to take his career to the next level. Before that, Aspinall relied on his father, Andy Aspinall, for representation. Now, he stands at a crucial point in his career, especially after recovering from a double eye-poke injury and the surgeries that followed, which he suffered during his first title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321.

At the same time, several voices in the MMA community, including Michael Bisping, view this partnership as a form of payback, particularly after Dana White signed young boxing talent Conor Benn.

For Aspinall, though, that narrative does not matter. Instead, he pointed directly to how his contract looked when Hearn reviewed it for the first time, highlighting the reaction it triggered.

“When [Hearn and Smith] were looking through my contract, they were just giggling. It’s like I told them a joke or something. But like I said, that’s what we signed up for. It’s not anybody else’s fault. That’s exactly what we signed up for as UFC fighters. I ain’t complaining about it. I just want to make as much money as I can while I’m here. That’s why I’m doing this whole thing.”

 So, given the situation, what do you make of the partnership between Hearn and Aspinall? Do you think they can work together to push for a better contract? Share your thoughts below.