UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones appeared recently on Wild Ride! with Steve-O podcast, and doubled down on his standoff with president Dana White over fighter compensation in the league.
“I don’t want to fight soon,” said Jones, as transcribed by Dave Doyle for MMA Junkie. “I have no interest in fighting in the UFC until I get paid what I believe I’m worth.”
But the fighter considered by many the greatest pound-for-pound competitor in mixed martial arts history says this isn’t all about him — he’s thinking of the guys at the bottom of the pay scale.
“I’m not asking for anything outrageous, and I know we’re in a pandemic, and I know when you’re a multimillionaire and you’re asking for more, it makes you seem like this greedy person. I’m very aware of all of this, but I’m also very aware that I have the voice and the platform to make change.
“Most of the guys who are doing the absolute worst are not in the position that they can say publicly, ‘I have a second job, I’m borrowing money from my parents.’ I know so many fighters who are living in the Jackson Wink MMA gym because they can’t afford to have their own apartment, and they’re UFC fighters. So this is sad.”
“If I have to have a bad relationship with Dana, sit out for two years, three years, to bring light to what’s happening, then these are the things people remember you for more than winning belts. I stood for the younger fighters.”
“If it has gotten to a place of being personal, I would just much rather work for a company where I felt like I went home. I’m home when I go to work. I have a great relationship with the UFC staff, but it’s a weird feeling when you feel like they don’t want you there.”
Nothing he does will have any affect on how other fighters are paid. Also If he sits out 2-3 years it seems to me he would have accomplished nothing because that means ufc kept the status quo, hence him not fighting. Lol it hilarious that he wants us to believe that him holding out for millions is not really for him, he's doing it for the kids! What a laughable statement
People saying they don’t care and he’s a turd aren’t wrong. But his stance isn’t wrong either when it comes to the young guys. In what other sport can you make the big leagues and make less than 50k a year (someone winning two fights a year at these 12/12 contracts). This is hilarious and embarrassing for a company worth billions.
Honestly after his last couple fight I really dont care, he has seemed to have lost the fire to fight. Definitely some verrrry intriguing HW matchups but as far as LHW goes mehhhh