When reports surfaced that British boxer Conor Benn signed a one-fight deal worth around $15 million with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, it didn’t just grab attention inside boxing circles. It immediately sparked reactions across the UFC roster as well. The problem was a simple question: how can athletes working under the same umbrella company see such dramatically different paydays?

Now, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has added his voice to that conversation. Speaking at a press conference, the British star acknowledged that the reported figure attached to Benn’s deal raised eyebrows across the MMA world.

“I mean, I think it’s bothered everybody,” Aspinall said. “I think if one guy’s getting paid $15 million and the other guy’s getting $15 grand, I think that’s a big difference, right? Which is part of the reason that I want to explore other options.”

This leads us into the next part of the ongoing story.

Aspinall announced a partnership with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency on Thursday, a commercial and advisory deal designed to grow his brand outside the UFC. The agreement doesn’t change his promotional contract as the English fighter remains the UFC heavyweight champion, but it does signal a shift in how he plans to approach the financial and other aspects of his career.

For years, Aspinall was represented primarily by his father, Andy Aspinall. Now, with Matchroom involved, negotiations and brand partnerships could take on a different scale. When asked whether working with a major representation could strengthen his position during future contract talks, Aspinall acknowledged the logic.

He noted that Matchroom and Hearn have a reputation for building fighters’ commercial value and making sure their interests are heard clearly. With his father still acting as manager, the idea is that experienced advisors will help communicate the financial expectations moving forward.

The Conor Benn deal has already triggered reactions from other fighters as well. Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya joked that if one fighter can command that kind of payday, he’d like to see $15 million for one fight, too. Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley also admitted he struggled to believe the reported figure when he first heard it.

Those comments highlight a broader trend in MMA right now. Fighters are increasingly paying attention to what happens outside the UFC, particularly when the same leadership group is involved. And for Tom Aspinall, that may have also been the reason he chose to link up with Eddie Hearn.

Tom Aspinall wants to be a “trailblazer” for other MMA fighters with his Matchroom deal

The partnership with Hearn’s Matchroom Talent Agency has quickly become one of the most talked-about business moves in the sport. It also added fuel to the ongoing rivalry between Hearn and UFC CEO Dana White. The tension between the two promoters escalated after White’s new Zuffa Boxing venture signed British star Conor Benn to a reported $15 million one-fight deal, a move that effectively pulled Benn away from Matchroom.

But Tom Aspinall insists his decision wasn’t about taking sides in a promoter feud. According to the UFC heavyweight champion, the goal is much simpler: expand opportunities outside the cage. Speaking at the press conference in Monaco, Aspinall said he hopes the move could inspire other fighters to rethink how they approach the business side of the sport.

“We were saying, hopefully this will be the start where other MMA fighters can look at this and be like,” Aspinall shared. “S–t, look what he’s doing, look at the money that he’s getting, look at the opportunity that he’s getting with Matchroom and Eddie and stuff like that. I want to be a bit of a trailblazer for MMA fighters who can make a lot of money and be successful outside the Octagon as well as inside, whether it be publicly or privately.”

Instead of fighting that structure head-on, the heavyweight champion believes the smarter move is maximizing opportunities elsewhere. Sponsorships, commercial partnerships, and brand deals can dramatically increase a fighter’s earning potential.

So while the UFC heavyweight champion waits for his next fight after eye surgery, he’s already working on the next phase of his career outside the Octagon. If his plan works, it might not just change his own earning potential. It could also give other fighters a blueprint to follow.