Dana White responds to Eddie Hearn’s comments about Tom Aspinall: ‘You sound stupid again’

Dana White has escalated his ongoing public feud with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, this time over heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall's contract and compensation. Hearn, who represents Aspinall, recently challenged White to release the fighter from his UFC deal, claiming the promotion is underpaying him and that Hearn himself will not permit Aspinall to compete under current terms. White responded sharply after a Zuffa Boxing event on Saturday, dismissing Hearn's demand as hypocritical. "You release Bam Rodriguez then," White said, referencing Hearn's own fighter. "Sounds pretty stupid, doesn't it?" The UFC boss also brought up the original flashpoint: White's signing of Conor Benn, a longtime Matchroom fighter. White suggested Hearn failed to pay Benn adequately when he had the chance, then criticized the promoter's broader negotiating tactics. "You can't force anybody to fight," White said. "You have to want to fight." Aspinall remains sidelined as he recovers from an eye injury requiring multiple surgeries. In his absence, the UFC will crown an interim heavyweight champion at UFC White House when Alex Pereira fights Ciryl Gane in the co-main event, with Aspinall expected to challenge the winner later in 2026. The White–Hearn dispute, which has dominated combat sports headlines throughout 2026, previously included talk of a boxing match between the two, though White quickly dismissed that notion.