UFC champ Aspinall inks business deal with boxing promoter Hearn - ESPN

UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has signed with Eddie Hearn's newly established Matchroom Talent Agency.

The signing and the establishment of Matchroom's new agency was announced on Thursday in a huge move for both Aspinall and the British promoter.

Hearn, who is chairman of Matchroom Boxing and has guided the careers of former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and two-weight undisputed women's champion Katie Taylor, will now manage and advise Aspinall in his first move into MMA.

The UFC champion had teased an announcement on social media Thursday with the caption «back to business.»

Matchroom will host a news conference in London on Friday.

Hearn said he believes the move is an ideal next step for both him and Matchroom and hailed Aspinall as the perfect first signing.

«It has become a guiding principle to seek out people who are humble but heroic in equal measure. Their journey is our journey. Their triumph, our purpose,» Hearn said.

«UFC world heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is the perfect embodiment of that — and he is the ideal, inaugural member of our team.»

Welcome to the team UFC Heavyweight Champ <a href=«https://twitter.com/AspinallMMA?ref_src=» https:>@AspinallMMA

— Time to get what's yours