Jake Paul gets a reality check from former UFC champion following comments on minimum UFC fighter pay
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is back at it with his attacks on the UFC and Dana White. 'The Problem Child' has been very vocal in his criticism of the UFC CEO and his refusal to change and/or increase the minimum fighter pay in the organization.
Paul reiterated his stance in an interview with Just The Fights uploaded on X. He explained that if the UFC increases its minimum fighter pay from $12,000 to $50,000, it would only cost them $20 million annually. He says it's nothing compared to the promotion's overall revenue every calendar year.
Here's the video as posted by Jed I. Goodman on X:
Former UFC heavyweight champion and MMA legend Josh Barnett pushed back on Paul's statement hard, saying:
"Just goes to show that you can be given a mic but that doesn't mean you know what you're talking about. There is ZERO problems with "minimum pay" in the UFC. Contract structure and clauses? You've got an argument there. Pay and Incentives for main event and those whose IP is used to promote the fight? 100% Pay for the lower and mid tier fighters? Nope. As themselves, they usually cost the UFC more than they bring in."
He continued:
"It's gonna be a very tough fight to get any changes made to the UFC model but if it is ever going to happen the economically and contract law illiterate need to be removed from the equation."
Jake Paul claims he's the only one who "has the b*lls" to talk back to Dana White
Jake Paul says that the be-all-and-end-all of his beef with Dana White was his adamant request to increase the UFC's fighter pay. He also says that the UFC CEO has started spreading rumors to discredit him since he became vocal in his criticisms of White and his organization.
Paul said (0:57):
"Definitely when I started talking about this, that's when Dana White was like, 'Oh, Jake Paul does steroids. Jake Paul's fights are rigged...' He's the one who started all the personal rumors, you know... He's been the biggest voice of oppression to me because I'm the only one literally in the whole entire fight business who can talk back to him. There's probably four people who can, but I'm the only one who has the b*lls to do it."
Paul is set to face boxing legend Mike Tyson in a boxing match inside the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on November 15. The fight card will be broadcast live on Netflix.