Dana White ‘Not Gonna F***ing Loan’ UFC Fighter To Box Jake Paul
Don’t expect Dana White to get into the Jake Paul business anytime soon.
The YouTube star turned boxing sensation hasn’t been shy about calling out a number of mixed martial artists. From Conor McGregor to Kamaru Usman, Paul has set his sights on anyone and everyone he can find on social media. Even White himself has found himself in Paul’s crosshairs.
The younger Paul brother even showed up at UFC 261, where he was greeted with chants of “F— Jake Paul!” from the crowd and a confrontation from former heavyweight king Daniel Cormier.
With his older brother, Logan, scheduled to face Floyd Mayweather, Jake has been on the prowl for his next opponent. While he may be coming off a first-round knockout of a former UFC fighter in Ben Askren, White told ESPN he wouldn’t be willing to let one of his current fighters take Paul up on his offer (H/T MMA Junkie).
“First of all, I would never do business with those guys, just no,” White said. “No, this is not what we do. I’m not gonna f—ing loan them a guy for f—ing what? There’s no way. You got plenty of f—ing goofballs out there that you can muster up to get in there and play these games that these guys are playing. Yeah, I’m not your guy.”
Despite his total disinterest in doing business with him, White still gave Paul credit for garnering the attention that he has. However, he is still baffled as to how Paul was able to finish Askren.
“Listen, you cannot deny the fact that this kid has inserted himself into the conversation with real guys,” White said. “This guy has got three fights, and I gotta tell you that I don’t know if I truly believe the Ben Askren thing. I have a hard time wrapping by brain around that.
“Let’s see how long it takes before this kid’s 15 minutes are up, but they are being smart. They are keeping him away from anybody that could actually really do damage. I don’t know. The Ben Askren thing still blows my mind.”
Despite his lack of experience and credentials, Paul has still managed to draw millions of eyes to his fights. While they may be miles apart right now, it will be interesting to see if Paul and the UFC can reach a deal that will be mutually beneficial. Most of Paul’s viewers are outside the traditional fight fan market, and you can bet that White and the UFC would love to expand their brand even further.
Do you think Dana White will ever let a UFC fighter box Jake Paul?
