Jake Paul raised a ton of eyebrows on Saturday afternoon when he issued a bold challenge to UFC President Dana White.
Paul and White have been going back and forth for months now, and that rivalry escalated two weeks ago after Jake knocked out former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
“I just knocked out a five time UFC champion and embarrassed your whole company. Please let me get Kamaru Usman, please let me get (Nate) Diaz, please let me get (Jorge) Masvidal. Cause I’m going to embarrass them, too. I promise you, Dana.” – Jake Paul said after sleeping ‘T-Wood’ in Tampa.
In addition to taunting Dana White about fighter pay, the undefeated boxer also accused the UFC boss of being a cocaine user.
White addressed Jake Paul’s accusations and criticism during a recent interview on “The FIGHT with Teddy Atlas” (h/t MMAJunkie):
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul,” White said. “This guy keeps saying that I’m a coke head. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two.”
Jake Paul took a couple of days to digest the comments from Dana White, but today offered a unique ultimatum to the UFC President on Twitter.
“Happy new year Dana White. Here is a real challenge for you… I will immediately retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if you agree to:
1. Increase minimum fighter pay to $50k (it’s 12k currently)
2. Guarantee UFC fighters 50% of the UFC annual revenues ($1bn in 2021)
3. Provide long term health care to all fighters (you previously said brain damage is part of the gig… Imagine if the NFL said that). There are many UFC alums who have publicly said they are suffering from brain damage.
You have 5 days to accept and to implement the above by March 31, 2022. Once implemented I will immediately retire from boxing, enter USADA and agree to a 1 fight deal with the UFC to fight weak chin Jorge Masvidal.”
As seen below, Jake Paul’s ultimatum to Dana White drew some interesting reactions from current and former pro fighters.
Wow this guy just wow me over. Congrats @jakepaul sincerely former 5x ufc hw champion and the guy that had to pay for another arm surgery cause the ufc didn’t think it was there problem after it happened on there watch. https://t.co/iHTKBCO83b
— Tim Sylvia (@timsylviamma) January 1, 2022
@danawhite let me smash this bullshit boy @jakepaul
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 1, 2022
I dig it @jakepaul let’s raise the bar pic.twitter.com/lNKS2MCYIl
— ike vallie-flagg (@IKEVF) January 1, 2022
@jakepaul pic.twitter.com/Rk3GLInTiV
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 1, 2022
if jake paul sleeps me i’ll retire forever
— Dillon Danis (@dillondanis) December 31, 2021
Roughly. The Ali Expansion Act would protect fighters from long term exclusive contracts and let the free market set wage ms.
— Nathan Quarry (@NateRockQuarry) January 1, 2022
Dana White has already responded to Jake Paul’s “silly” offer, (see more on that here).
What do you think of the pros reactions to Paul’s fighter-friendly offer to the UFC boss?