Jake Paul “I’ve been WANTING to make Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou… it really sucks”

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-18

[00:00:07]Andres with Square Circle FC. Uh two-part question. Um when you guys were making this fight for Ronda and Corano, how big was the conversation of giving them a proper goodbye to the to the sport? And two, with the news of uh Ngannou calling out Jones, uh Jones on your broadcast said that he his focus is to get out of his UFC contract. How realistic is that to make that fight happen? Thank you.

[00:00:32]I don't I don't think it's very realistic cuz I don't think uh Dana is going to allow that to happen in any way, shape, or form cuz they know it will be the biggest fight that uh can happen at the heavyweight division in a very long time, right? I wish it could happen, and I think Jon deserves that moment. I think the sport deserves that moment. I think if you look at the boxing landscape, co-promotion happens all the time. If you look at the MMA landscape outside of UFC, co-promotion happens all the time.

[00:01:00]If you look at the NBA, they go to Europe and play games against European teams, and they go to Asia and they play against Asian teams. They go to Australia, play against Australian teams. It happens all the time.

[00:01:11]The biggest moment that UFC has had in history was a co-promotion, right? It was with Mayweather and McGregor. Biggest associated event ever that Dana has touched in terms of revenue.

[00:01:24]So, that that hopefully is a door. That hopefully is a moment that can happen, and and we're more than willing, right?

[00:01:30]There's no There's no like hurt feelings. There's no, "Hey, we can't work with them cuz they take shots at us." Exactly the opposite. Let's do it and make it a moment that the world stops and enjoys these two men who are at the you know, the crescendo of their careers, probably given their age and the wear and tear, right? Particularly Jon.

[00:01:50]The fans deserve it.

[00:01:51]The sport deserves it, and we'd love to do it, right, Jake? Yep. Let's make it happen.

[00:01:58]Brett ESPN. Nikki said that maybe I just completely made this up, but when the question was asked about Jon Jon Jones, you kind of looked at Jake. Is is is there any more to to the Jon Jones situation or any conversations that you guys had that are are behind the scenes that you could you could let us know about?

[00:02:13]>> There's absolutely no behind I looked at Jake cuz I want him to answer the question cuz I know he's passionate about making it, right? Like that You got to remember I met I met this young man when he was 22. I didn't know who he was. Just like I didn't know what the UFC was when I would have you bought it.

[00:02:25]They told me he wants to fight. He wants to box. I said I don't know anything about boxing. I would come from MMA. He said, "Yeah, but that's fighting. Just come meet him." And within 10 minutes of meeting him, he told me he wants to start a fighters union, right? Cuz he said the fighters need to be paid more cuz he's a content creator. He's the IP.

[00:02:40]He understands that he's the value.

[00:02:43]So, my point is when I look at him, it's because he's so passionate about trying to make these things happen, and I was hoping he'd kind of speak on on making that happen. That's all. Yeah, I just feel bad when Jon Jones can't get out of his contract to be a free agent to be able to you know, provide for his family. That that's the real meaning behind these things and these fighters being tied up and not being able to pick and choose what they want to do, get the pay that they deserve. The fact that he wasn't on the White House card was very disappointing. You know, he's a true all-American, one of the greatest of all time, and just fell flat. So, I I feel for these fighters. I got to talk to him tonight. Yeah, he's upset about it. He's like, "Man, it just sucks." Like he can't control his career. Um I've I've just been a you know, pushing for fighters to stay free agents, to work with people like and MVP where, you know, these MMA fighters can go and box, boxers can go and do an MMA. And so, I've been wanting to make Jon Jones versus Francis Ngannou.

[00:03:46]Um but, you know, it's just it's just tough over there, and it It sucks for the fighters that and for their families and for their businesses and for their legacy and and all of it, you know, capital is is king and so when these fighters can't make money and they want to fight and they want to make the big fights happen, the fans lose and their families lose and the fighters feel insufficient. So, it really sucks and uh hopefully we're here to make some change and make the biggest fights in MMA happen, period. Well, just to add to that, like long-term contracts are okay if they're equitable, right? If they provide the appropriate revenue share.

[00:04:25]That's what happens in all ball and stick sports, right? And I'm the the reality is the UFC is now at a level of the ball and stick sports in terms of its revenue profile, in terms of its operational capability. So, that's what the sport needs.

[00:04:42]And then if why wouldn't Jon Jones want to be there for 5 years if he's feels like he has market value? That's that's all it is. And again, we're kind of like bringing our end into existence by keep pushing that message because if they want to turn it on and actually pay the fighters the right way, it's hard for anyone else to compete. That's that's the truth.

[00:04:59]But they don't feel they need to and they're not going to cuz they're a public company.

[00:05:03]So, so just a quick follow-up and I and obviously I was in the arena, so I couldn't hear this myself, but I think it would you know, I saw it in a bunch of different places on social media is that Jon is on Netflix saying, you know, hey, if these guys want to help me take a look at at my contract. So, Jake, is that actually something you would entertain? Is that something that you guys >> sued. They've been already sending out lawsuits this week. We don't want to get sued. No comment. Next question. Thank you, Brett.

[00:05:27]Thank you.

[00:05:56]>> Mhm.