Dana White Denies Rift With Tom Aspinall, Dismisses Eddie Hearn

UFC CEO Dana White made it clear that he harbors no personal issues with former UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. The clarification comes shortly after Aspinall vacated his heavyweight title after re-aggravating eye injuries originally suffered in his championship bout against Ciryl Gane. Following Aspinall's absence, Gane secured an interim title by defeating Alex Pereira at UFC White House and was subsequently elevated to undisputed champion.

Addressing reporters at the UFC 331 post-fight press conference, White pushed back on suggestions that past friction or his initial unsympathetic remarks from October indicated animosity toward the British heavyweight. "I don’t like Tom, no that’s not the case. It’s the furthest thing from the truth," White said.

"This guy knows he’s injured, he’s going through stuff with the doctor, he knows it’s going to be a while before he comes back. I think because of what I might have said or what he might have responded to what I said after the thing, that people think that I don’t like Tom. Tom’s never done anything for me not to like him.

If I don’t like somebody, I’m pretty f*cking honest about it."

White also commented on Aspinall's decision to sign a management deal with Matchroom's Eddie Hearn. The two promoters have engaged in a public rivalry over several business moves, including White signing longtime Matchroom boxer Conor Benn and ongoing discussions surrounding a potential Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua bout.

Unbothered by the partnership, White questioned Hearn's track record as an MMA manager: "They can sign with whoever they want to sign. We have to deal with somebody, always, but what has Eddie Hearn done for Tom Aspinall, the first guy to sign for him?"