Dana White reacts to Jake Paul sneaking into The Sphere for UFC 306 in disguise: "Oscar De La Hoya was there"
Dana White recently weighed in on Jake Paul’s covert stunt of disguising himself to sneak into The Sphere to witness Noche UFC 306. It's no secret that tensions run high between Paul and White, with their animosity so palpable that 'The Problem Child' has even claimed the UFC CEO has barred him from attending any of the promotion’s events.
However, the YouTuber-turned-boxer recently revealed on social media that he had infiltrated The Sphere, dressed as an elderly man with a long beard, to watch his friend and business partner, Sean O'Malley, defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of Noche UFC 306 last Saturday, where 'Sugar' lost via unanimous decision.
Check out Jake Paul's video below:
During the post-event press conference following the latest edition of the 'Dana White's Contender Series' on Tuesday, White was asked to comment on Paul's viral disguise video. The UFC head honcho clarified that 'The Problem Child' is not banned from attending UFC events and jokingly noted that even his longtime rival, promoter Oscar De La Hoya, was present at The Sphere that night:
"Listen, Oscar De La Hoya was there, okay? Let’s put it that way. Nobody's banned from the UFC. Listen, that kid knows how to market and do his thing, and you know, all that good stuff, but yeah, no, Jake Paul's welcome to come to the UFC."
Check out Dana White's comments below (12:40):
Paul's last public appearance at a UFC event was at UFC 261 in April 2021, which was headlined by a rematch between former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal.
During the event, the 27-year-old found himself at the center of controversy, facing a barrage of "F**k Jake Paul" chants from the crowd. The hostile reception came after Paul had a heated confrontation with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier.
When Jake Paul asserted he has no hard feelings for Dana White
Jake Paul has been an outspoken opponent of Dana White and the UFC, especially when it comes to fighter compensation. He has frequently called out the promotion for underpaying its athletes and failing to provide essential benefits such as medical coverage.
During his appearance on Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson in August 2023, White clarified that he holds no grudge against Paul. A few episodes later, 'The Problem Child' appeared on the same podcast and echoed White's sentiments and stated that he doesn’t harbor any animosity toward the UFC CEO:
"I don’t hate him, either. I just want him to pay fighters more. Now that the company is making billions of dollars a year and the fighters are only getting 15 percent of it, that’s really where all of it stems from wanting higher fighter pay and long-term healthcare for the fighters."
Check out Jake Paul's comments below (30:00):