As speculation continues to mount whether all-time great mixed martial artist Jon Jones will take on his greatest challenge in 2024, a heavyweight contest with the UFC’s interim champion in that division, Tom Aspinall, internet sensation Jake Paul has weighed-in to suggest just how much the GOAT should demand from the UFC to make that fight a reality.
UFC boss Dana White told GIVEMESPORT and other reporters recently that a UFC heavyweight championship fight between Jones and Stipe Miocic is all but confirmed to headline the UFC 309 pay-per-view November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The hold-up, White told us, was that the company wanted to wait until the bulk of the card is finalized until they make the official announcement for that event.
This extends the limbo period Aspinall is experiencing, having won the interim title with a first-round knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich in November, 2023, and defending it against Curtis Blaydes, and once again winning via first-round knockout.
It is time to unify the belts, and for that fight to happen in 2025, Paul says UFC should pay a price.
This is What Jon Jones Should Demand
Jake Paul says the fight is worth 25 million smackeroonies
“Jon Jones doesn’t dodge anyone,” said Paul in a post on X, referring to fan-driven criticism of the fighter that he’s shirking the biggest challenge, Aspinall, in favor of a lighter touch, in Miocic. Aspinall has three wins in a row in the last 13 months — all by knockout. Though Miocic is one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, he, by contrast, has not fought since 2021, has not won since 2020, and has no wins over any current fighter on the UFC roster.
“He knows exactly what he’s doing. Show him the money —that real money. Not that spin the narrative money.”
Paul then went into specifics over the price Jones should demand from the UFC, and why he deserves that much moolah.”Him versus Aspinal is massive as it hits two big PPV markets,” said Paul. “$25 million guarantee plus PPV seems about right.”
Jake Paul Has Spoken Out About UFC Fighter Pay Before
Though he has championed the cause, he’s likely doing it just to get under Dana White’s skin
Through his Most Valuable Promotions brand, Paul says he hopes to raise the bar for what fighters get paid, and, during an appearance on the FULL SEND podcast, said his gripe with UFC is that they’re by far a bigger company but pay fighters a mere fraction of the revenue generated from their blood, sweat, and tears.
“We pay people the most they’ve ever gotten paid, pretty much every card. It depends on who or what their name is, but it could range anywhere from $40,000 to $1.5 milllion.”
He continued: “We’re not a $6 billion company. That’s my gripe with it: the UFC is making billions and billions of dollars, but still only paying the fighters 12 percent of the income.”
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