Eddie Hearn says Tom Aspinall has been cleared to compete and has notified the UFC of his readiness, but warned that a conversation about Aspinall’s contractual compensation will need to happen before a unification fight with Ciryl Gane is finalized.
Hearn spoke on The Ariel Helwani Show, also taking direct aim at Michael Bisping for questioning Aspinall’s recovery timeline and Hearn’s motivations for signing him.
These are people that are on the payroll. These are people that have been suppressed, themselves, and these are people that don’t have any backbone about them. Michael Bisping should be ashamed of what is being proposed to Tom Aspinall to be in a fight like Ciryl Gane with that amount of money that is in the pot. He is a fighter. He should stand up for what’s right for fighters. So what are you saying, Bisping? ‘Do as you’re told, shut up, take your money. That’s all you’re worth. There’s $60 million in the pot. Be quiet. You’re getting three percent of the pot.’ You’re the fighter. You’re putting your health on the line, you’re the talent, you’re the reason this organization is what it is, and Bisping should be ashamed of himself for that.
Hearn confirmed Aspinall is ready and described the approach his team will take with the UFC.
We’ve reached out to the UFC and we’ve told them, ‘Tom is ready.’ There’s going to be a conversation coming up about date and numbers. We’re not coming in there to cause a big argument. What we’re coming in to say is that there’s a huge amount of money in the fight between Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall. Contractually, the numbers are completely unfair in terms of the value that Tom Aspinall brings into that fight. What we’re asking for is just to be respected.
Gane claimed the interim heavyweight title by stopping Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 and has requested a unification fight with Aspinall in Paris in September.