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“I’m not even asking for backpay for ripping me off throughout my entire 20s. Just wanted to be treated fair moving forward.” — Jon Jones
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White thinks that he’ll (eventually) sit down with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and work out their financial squabbles, but anyone who’s been paying attention to “Bones’” Twitter account may think otherwise.
“If the UFC let me out of my contract I have no doubt that a different promoter will pick me up,” Jones wrote. “Maybe I won’t get paid the same, maybe I’d get paid more. One thing I would have is total support. A boss behind me who actually promotes me.”
Former women’s featherweight champion Cristiane Justino also believed she was getting screwed over by UFC and once her contract ran out, “Cyborg” hooked up with Scott Coker and Co. for what was reportedly a record-breaking Bellator contract.
“Everything was good until I asked for a piece of the pie,” Jones said. ”UFC totally comfortable with me taking concussions for over a decade but asking for generational wealth. Get the fuck out of here. Almost every interview [Dana] mentions how UFC are breaking new records and are at an all-time high. Dana mentioned I want (Deontay) Wilder money, meanwhile over the entirety of my career I haven’t even made a quarter of that.”
Jorge Masvidal feels your pain.
Jones, who is quickly running out of contenders at 205 pounds, was hoping to score a heavyweight “super fight” against power-punching contender Francis Ngannou; however, White balked at the numbers being thrown around by both combatants and the dream match up went down in flames.
Not the best way to treat a record-breaking star.
“Advice to you young fighters, if you’re hot right now, get paid,” Jones said. “As much as the UFC is building your brand, you are building theirs. If you think your biggest paydays will come after being with the company for a while. You are wrong. I fought mega-fight after mega-fight throughout my early 20s for under $2 million a fight. Who knows what I’m actually owed, makes me feel like a fool even thinking about it.”
Jones is currently unbooked and expected to remain on the sidelines until UFC can present him a better offer. In the interim, top contenders like Jan Blachowicz and Dominick Reyes will have to decide to keep fighting or sit out and hope for the best.
“I’m enjoying the vacation, I’ve been suspended quite a few times,” Jones finished. “It just sucks Dana is being so stubborn and greedy. It’s ultimately hurting the fans. If me sitting from fighting somehow helps some fighters in the future get taken care of better, well I did my job. You’re welcome.”