Adesanya Gives Jake Paul’s Campaign For Improved Fighter Pay A Nod

Israel Adesanya is giving props to Jake Paul. Israel Adesanya is fresh off his latest title defense when he defeated Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 271. Right before that fight, Adesanya closed a massive deal with the UFC. He signed a new deal with an undisclosed amount of money involved, but according…

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Israel Adesanya is giving props to Jake Paul.

Israel Adesanya is fresh off his latest title defense when he defeated Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 271. Right before that fight, Adesanya closed a massive deal with the UFC. He signed a new deal with an undisclosed amount of money involved, but according to his management made him one of the highest-paid fighters on the roster.

Now that Adesanya is where he should be moneywise, he is giving Jake Paul some admiration for his battle for better fighter pay.

“I think Jake Paul was the right guy to [challenge Dana White] at the time,” Adesanya told talkSPORT (via Daily Mail). “He was one of the guys to get this conversation going that Francis [Ngannou] jumped in. You have me even now speaking about it. I’m talking about the guy who is having the second fight in the UFC, I think they should be paid well enough that they can have a 12-week training camp without having a second or third job.”

Paul has been vocal about wanting to help UFC fighters raise their paychecks. He has gone back-and-forth publicity with Dana White regarding the urge to pay the fighters more money. Paul has just a handful of boxing fights on his résumé but is making a lucrative living. Not only is he living well through fighting, but he says he wants to help others do the same.

Paul has taken it upon himself to buy some stock in UFC’s parent company Endeavor in hopes of having a say in the decision-making process regarding fighter pay. Although he has not made an impact formally just yet, Adesanya thinks that Paul bringing the subject too light is helping. Adesanya explained that he had a chance to speak with Paul personally and believes that he is sincere in his campaign to help other fighters.

“I ended up at his house after the fight and we went deep into some conversations and talking to him, you realize ‘man, this guy is really serious. Like, he’s not just doing this for [clout, etc],” Adesanya said. “Because if you don’t know him, you just kind of fall into that ‘Ah, this snobby little kid we think he’s just doing this for attention, for likes or clout, but you talk to him and it’s like ‘Yo, he’s really serious.’”

It is not only the new UFC fighters or the prelim fighters that are having issues regarding money. The top fighters are also looking for higher wages. UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou has been vocal about wanting more money and freedom from the UFC. Now, perhaps with Adesanya being paid more, the door will be open for other fighters as well.

Do you agree with Israel Adesanya? Is Jake Paul’s outspokenness on fighter pay is helping?

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Wiz Khalifa Wants To Bring Jake Paul To PFL

wiz khalifaRapper turned PFL part-owner Wiz Khalifa is interested in bringing Jake Paul to his fight promotion. The social media celebrity has been churning out a successful boxing career for himself and is currently 5-0 as a professional. Paul has frequently spoken about his desire to compete in MMA down the line and due to his […]

wiz khalifa

Rapper turned PFL part-owner Wiz Khalifa is interested in bringing Jake Paul to his fight promotion.

The social media celebrity has been churning out a successful boxing career for himself and is currently 5-0 as a professional.

Paul has frequently spoken about his desire to compete in MMA down the line and due to his rocky relationship with the UFC, it appears unlikely that he will ever sign for the MMA leader.

Khabib Nurmagomedov has already made a play for Paul who he was hoping would compete on one of his Eagle FC cards.

The 25-year-old has since claimed that anyone hoping to bring him to MMA would have stump up some serious money.

“There is [interest to do MMA] and not in the near future but in the medium term,” Paul recently said. “I would need to practice my kicks and a little more on the jiu-jitsu side for like two years, maybe two and a half years before I would do that. Unless the money was really right but no one’s brought anything to the table that’s interesting enough.”

“I would need more than what I make in boxing to risk going into MMA right now,” Paul added. “People would have to come $25, $35 million dollars to just start the conversation with me.”

Wiz Khalifa & PFL Join The Race To Sign Jake Paul

During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Khalifa expressed his interest in signing Paul to PFL.

“It’ll be tight if he fought for PFL, he’s a cool guy. So, wherever he ends up, he’s gonna bring a lot of excitement,” Khalifa said.

The rapper then reaffirmed his interest in signing Paul by saying “hell yeah” when the reporter asked him to confirm his interest in bringing ‘The Problem Child’ to PFL.

Khalifa added that “he’s good” when assessing how Paul would do in MMA.

Do you think Wiz Khalifa can convince Jake Paul to sign with PFL?

Israel Adesanya Insists Jake Paul Is ‘No Joke’

Israel AdesanyaIsrael Adesanya says he realized Jake Paul was “no joke” after talking with the controversial social media celebrity in the aftermath of his KO win over former NBA player Nate Robinson. ‘Stylebender’ was on commentary duty for the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card that featured Paul in his second professional boxing match. Post-fight, […]

Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya says he realized Jake Paul was “no joke” after talking with the controversial social media celebrity in the aftermath of his KO win over former NBA player Nate Robinson.

‘Stylebender’ was on commentary duty for the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card that featured Paul in his second professional boxing match.

Post-fight, the UFC middleweight champion went back to Paul’s house and had an eye-opening conversation with ‘The Problem Child’ that made him realize just how serious Paul was about boxing.

Israel Adesanya Believes Jake Paul Is Serious About Boxing

“Nah, Jake Paul’s no joke man. When he fought Nate Robinson, I was there. I commentated that fight, right. And, I ended up at his house later on and I didn’t realise how big of a fan he was,” Adesanya told Ignore the Noise.

“For me, to commentate that fight I had to study what he did from Disney and that’s what kind of made me know ‘ok, this is what this kid’s history his’.

“Being at his house, talking to him, we talked for a long time and then I kind of realised, like, man, this guy, he’s crazy. And guess what? Those are the ones that get it done.”

“He was serious about boxing. People just thought, like, he’s just doing this for fun, he’s just doing this to try and make money, or get clout or whatever, but I was like, no. He’s got all the funds. All the access to be able to get it done.” (Transcribed by Mirror Fighting)

Paul may be serious about boxing, but he’s got a long way to go before fight fans accept him as a legitimate boxer. The 25-year-old is 5-0 as a professional but is yet to fight anyone with a background in the sport.  

Do you agree with Israel Adesanya? Is Jake Paul serious about boxing?

Ngannou Stands 100% Behind Jake Paul’s Calls For Better Fighter Pay

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou believes that Jake Paul’s promotion of better fighter pay is legitimate and not an act. Ngannou is fresh off his win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in his first title defense as a UFC champion. But he is expected to miss a significant amount of time due to a…

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UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou believes that Jake Paul’s promotion of better fighter pay is legitimate and not an act.

Ngannou is fresh off his win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 in his first title defense as a UFC champion. But he is expected to miss a significant amount of time due to a lingering knee injury he suffered in his training leading up to the fight.

Ngannou has continued to push for the UFC to change its current pay scale model amidst tense contract negotiations. It remains unclear whether or not Ngannou and the UFC brass will end up coming to terms on a new deal.

One of most vocal presences in the fighter pay conversation has been Paul, who has gone at it with UFC President Dana White regarding how the promotion treats its roster. The controversial YouTuber turned boxer has previously offered to sign a one-fight deal with the UFC if the brass promises to add benefits such as long-term healthcare.

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ngannou addressed Paul’s comments in support of giving UFC fighters more incentives away from the cage.

“I follow all those stuff and I am aware of what’s happening,” Ngannou said. “You know Paul has his own way of communicating, which is a little bit different. Maybe not the same way as I will. But in the meantime, I can’t blame him. I’m 100 percent with him for what he says.

“When he claimed for fighter healthcare, I am 100 percent down with that. He claimed for fighter pay increase, I’m a 1000 percent down for that. So the fighters are not protected, they are all out there on their own and nobody look up to them… They are putting their body on the line for something. At least [give them] healthcare.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

One of Ngannou’s biggest gripes with the promotion has been the lack of freedom fighters like him have when it comes to pursuing other avenues. This includes boxing, where Ngannou has gone back-and-forth on social media with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

Ngannou admitted during a recent interview that Paul’s management reached out to him to inquire about his interest in boxing. The UFC then allegedly threatened legal action against his manager for being in contact with Paul’s team.

But not all UFC fighters agree with Ngannou. Some veterans such as Sam Alvey have called Paul’s interest in UFC fighter pay “fake” and an effort to promote himself.

It’s unclear if and when Ngannou will return to the Octagon, but in the meantime, he’ll continue to voice his displeasure in how fighters are compensated for their efforts in the cage.

What are your thoughts on Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul’s calls for better UFC fighter pay and treatment?

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Francis Ngannou Supports Jake Paul’s Pay Campaign ‘100 Percent’

Francis Ngannou, Jake PaulFrancis Ngannou is fully behind Jake Paul who has been loudly campaigning for the UFC to increase fighter pay and introduce health care for their athletes. ‘The Problem Child’ took to social media in January with a challenge for Dana White and the UFC. Paul called on MMA’s premier promotion to up the minimum purse […]

Francis Ngannou, Jake Paul

Francis Ngannou is fully behind Jake Paul who has been loudly campaigning for the UFC to increase fighter pay and introduce health care for their athletes.

‘The Problem Child’ took to social media in January with a challenge for Dana White and the UFC. Paul called on MMA’s premier promotion to up the minimum purse from $12,000 to $50,000, increase revenue share to 50%, and provide long-term health care for fighters.

In an interview posted Friday on his YouTube channel, Ngannou said that he is “100 percent down” with everything Paul is trying to do for fighter pay and health care.

“I’m 100 percent with him for what he says,” Ngannou said of Paul. “Like when he claims [he’s] for fighter health care, I’m 100 percent down with that. When he [claims he’s] for fighter pay increase, I’m 1,000 percent down for that. Fighters are not protected. Fighters are all out there on their own, and nobody looks out for them. Like, I walk around the gym sometimes and you will see a fighter, maybe he just lost a fight, and then he’s training and he’ll get an injury — he will take this injury and just hope that he heals, because he can’t afford the treatment, knowing that he’s doing this for a living. He has a contract and all this stuff. It’s tough to watch [that] stuff and to think that it’s normal. No, it’s not normal.

“They’re putting their body on the line for something. At least [give them] health care.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)

Francis Ngannou’s UFC Future Is Uncertain

The heavyweight champion is at odds with the MMA leader right now and seems to be on the verge of leaving the UFC.

Ngannou was paid just $600,000 for his latest fight, a unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. The fight was the last on Ngannou’s current contract, which has been extended due to a championship clause in the deal that ties ‘The Predator’ to the UFC for one year or three fights – whatever comes first.

The Cameroonian knockout artist has often expressed his desire to pursue big boxing fights and wants the freedom to do so before re-signing with the UFC.

WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is ready to welcome Ngannou to the squared circle. ‘The Gypsy King’ says he will square off against the UFC heavyweight king in the first quarter of 2023.

Do you support Francis Ngannou & Jake Paul?

UFC Veteran Blasts “Clown” Jake Paul For Fake Fighter-Pay Interest

UFC veteran Sam Alvey isn’t buying what Jake Paul is selling when it comes to the controversial issue of fighter pay. Paul has been a vocal critic of UFC President Dana White regarding how fighters on the roster are treated. He has also offered to sign a one-fight deal to fight in the UFC if…

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UFC veteran Sam Alvey isn’t buying what Jake Paul is selling when it comes to the controversial issue of fighter pay.

Paul has been a vocal critic of UFC President Dana White regarding how fighters on the roster are treated. He has also offered to sign a one-fight deal to fight in the UFC if certain demands are met by White and the promotion, which includes providing health insurance for athletes.

Paul is coming off an eventful 2021 in which he continued his undefeated streak in boxing. He earned back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley and also knocked out former Bellator champion Ben Askren.

In addition to his actions inside the ring, Paul has taken it to the UFC outside of it. He has also accused White of using cocaine with the two sides claiming that the other has dodged challenges.

During a recent interview with Full Mount MMA, Alvey explained why he thinks Paul’s promotion of better fighter pay isn’t legitimate.

“Jake Paul is a clown and he is not trying to help fighter pay, he is trying to help himself,” Alvey said. “Every fight sells when you either want to see somebody win or see somebody get knocked out. Jake Paul has figured out that everyone wants to see him get knocked out so he wants to try and switch that narrative… and so he goes after the low-hanging fruit that sounds great to everyone, ‘pay fighters more’… If UFC, Dana White, any of those guys were to do what Jake Paul is asking, he wouldn’t get us paid more, he would eliminate the roster of the UFC. We would go from a roster of what 800 to down to 75.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

Paul has called out UFC fighters Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and Jorge Masvidal for fights in the ring. However, all three are still under contract with the UFC and will likely not be allowed to fight Paul anytime soon.

Paul continues to put the heat on White and the UFC brass to enact change in how fighters are compensated. But some fighters such as Alvey don’t believe Paul is someone to be taken seriously.

Do you agree with Sam Alvey?

Continue Reading UFC Veteran Blasts “Clown” Jake Paul For Fake Fighter-Pay Interest at MMA News.