Jake Paul SLAMS Dana White for ruling out an increase in fighter pay

Jake Paul SLAMS Dana White for stating increase in fighter pay is ‘never gonna happen’ as UFC president comments on possibility of fighting the YouTuber turned professional boxer

  • Jake Paul has slammed Dana White over his comments on fighter pay
  • The UFC promoter insisted in a recent interview that fighter pay will not change
  • White also claimed that boxing has been ‘destroyed’ through high fighter pay 
  • Paul responded that the UFC pay less than other major sporting organisations 

Social media star turned professional boxer Jake Paul has reignited his ongoing feud with UFC president Dana White over the issue of fighter pay.

White appeared in a Q&A video for GQ, where he touched on a number of topics, including potentially facing off against Paul in the ring.  

In 2007 White had famously agreed to box UFC legend Tito Ortiz as part of Ortiz’s contract renegotiation with the promotion. The former amateur boxer White prepared for the exhibition by sparring with heavyweight boxing prospects, before the former UFC champion declined to attend the weigh-in forcing the event to be cancelled.

Dana White shut down the possibility of him boxing social media star Jake Paul

Asked whether he planned on getting in the ring with Paul over their social media feud, White shut down the prospective clash:

‘You guys realise I’m 53-years-old now, right? When I was going to fight Tito I was 37, I’m 53. Come talk to me when you f****ng idiots are 53-years-old and tell me if you want some f****ng 20-year-old kid, I promise you that you do not.’

Regarding the divisive issue of the pay fighters receive in his organisation, White responded indignantly:

‘Fighters always want to make more money,’ 

‘Boxing has absolutely been destroyed because of money and all the things that go on. [A change in fighter pay is] never gonna happen while I’m here, believe me. These guys get paid what they’re supposed to get paid. They eat what they kill. They get a percentage of the pay-per-view buys and the money is spread out amongst all the fighters.’ He added.

White also claimed that a change in UFC fighter pay will not happen under his leadership

Paul responded to White’s fighter pay comments on Twitter, stating that: ‘No major sports organization pays its athletes as poorly as Dana White & UFC.

‘They keep talking about selling out 21 events in a row but never talking about raising fighter pay, giving them healthcare & fair revenue split.’ Paul continued.

The 25-year-old who has amassed an undefeated boxing record across five professional contests continued: ‘If my boss told me I am never getting a raise I would quit and go somewhere that actually values me. Right? 

Paul fired back at the UFC president over Twitter, calling those who agree with White ‘sheep’

The 25-year-old highlighted the issues he has with the UFC’s pay system

‘But what if ur boss, who has made hundreds of millions from ur hard work told u he’s not increasing ur minimum pay and you’re not able to quit?’

Paul had been set to face off against Hasim Rahman Jr at Madison Square Garden last weekend, before the son of the former World Heavyweight Champion informed the presiding athletic commission that he would be unable to make the contracted 200lbs weight limit, leading the fight to be cancelled.

White however, told reporters after UFC 277 pay-per-view that he believed that Paul may have actually pulled the plug on the prospective bout due to low ticket sales:

White inferred that the Paul vs Rahman Jr fight was actually cancelled due to low ticket sales

‘I think they sold under $1million in tickets and it costs $500,000 to turn the f***ing lights on at MSG.’

‘That’s what I think. Not to mention hotel rooms in New York and transportation is very expensive.’

The issue of fighter pay remains a divisive topic across the combat sports world. Fury erupted on social media after it emerged that burgeoning UFC star Paddy Pimblett was guaranteed less than £9,000 for his main-card clash with Rodrigo Vargas at the O2 Arena in May.




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