Is Jon Jones lastly going to receives a commission Deontay Wilder cash? If the UFC desires him to battle Tom Aspinall to unify the heavyweight titles, that’s what it may take.
Deontay Wilder made round $30 million for his second battle with Tyson Fury in February 2020 — a quantity that apparently caught out in Jon Jones’ head when he approached the UFC about shifting to heavyweight for a superfight towards Francis Ngannou.
“I’ll quote him and what he had mentioned to my lawyer,” White mentioned on the time, referring to now UFC CBO Hunter Campbell. “He instructed my lawyer he desires what Deontay Wilder was paid.”
“Pay attention, it’s one factor to return out and say, ‘I need somewhat extra money,’” White mentioned in one other interview. However the sum of money Jon Jones wished? You couldn’t be asking for a extra absurd sum of money at a worse time.”
That point was Could 2020, simply when the UFC had began holding fights once more in the course of the Pandemic and it was very questionable as to whether or not they’d have the ability to proceed within the face of presidency restriction and public outcry.
Now issues are very completely different, and it sounds just like the UFC is prepared to pay Jones that quantity. UFC commentator Joe Rogan mentioned what he was listening to in a brand new episode of his podcast.
“I feel it’s gonna be Aspinall, I feel they’re attempting to return to some kind of settlement,” Rogan mentioned. “The rumor is that he desires $30 million and the UFC goes to pay it. Hopefully.”
“I hope they pay it,” Rogan added.
Whereas the UFC is notoriously stingy in comparison with boxing on the subject of massive cash fights, this may very well be the second they splash some money and make it clear that the highest names in MMA are making prime greenback. Okay, possibly not lots of of tens of millions like some boxers are making in Saudi Arabia as of late, however $30 million, which is an appropriate quantity to make as the perfect heavyweight fighter on this planet.
Let’s simply lay down a fast reminder: one million pay-per-views bought at $79.99 per unit is $80 million, and the UFC simply made $16 million off Jones’ final gate. Jones making simply 30% of what can be over $100 million in gross earnings remains to be on the low facet of what he ought to be paid, and a complete deal for the UFC.
We hope they pay it as properly.
