Getty Dana White
UFC president Dana White was once again firmly in the crosshairs of social media superstar and boxer Jake Paul.
On Saturday night, “The Problem Child” notched his third victory against a former UFC standout by besting ex-185-pound king Anderson Silva via unanimous decision. The Most Valuable Promotions headliner took place at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on October 29 via Showtime PPV.
Paul has a professional boxing record of 6-0, which also includes two victories against former UFC 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley and a TKO over Bellator and ONE welterweight champion Ben Askren.
During the night’s post-fight press conference, Paul took aim at the UFC president. Ahead of the bout, Paul and “The Spider” agreed that should the YouTuber defeat “The Spider,” the mixed martial arts icon would help him create a fighters’ association. The aim of the association would be to address combat sports athletes’ needs, like requiring promoters to increase pay and offer long-term health benefits.
The association would be a major disruption to White’s business practices and Paul is seemingly all too eager to get it started.
“Dana? Dana? Dana?” Paul said (h/t MMA Fighting). “Bro, you said I wouldn’t do this, and I did it and with flying colors. He’s in hiding. He’s trying to do everything he can to stop my run, to sabotage my fights. He hates me. He hates what I’m doing. He hates that I’m exposing his business. Now we’re going to band together and create a united fighters’ association to help all MMA fighters and boxers to get more fighter pay, long term healthcare.
“That’s a big, big undertaking that I’ve been wanting to do the whole entire time of my career since I first met [my business partner] Nakisa [Bidarian]. I said that to him on the first day. I want to make a fighters’ union. So Dana White can suck this d***.”
Paul Tried to Make a $5 Million Bet With White
Before Paul signed on to fight Silva, White went on record saying that he didn’t think The Problem Child would ever call out The Spider. “I f****** guarantee you this: You ain’t gonna see Jake Paul calling Anderson Silva out,” White told the media in September 2021 via MMA Junkie. “That I f****** promise you. (Silva is) his size, and he’s actually good. He’s old, which is what Jake Paul likes to fight old guys. He likes to fight old guys that are too small and that are absolutely, positively washed up.”
Well, ahead of the contest, Paul tried to make a $5 million bet with the UFC president.
“Dana White did not think I’d take this fight,” Jake said during the event’s first press conference last month via TMZ. “And Dana, I know you’re watching, bro. You still owe me a million dollars from when you bet against me on Ben Askren.”
“I want you to come out of hiding, stop being a b**** and make a bet against me and Anderson and actually pay up this time because you didn’t think I would take this fight.”
“So let’s make a bet,” The Problem Child continued. “Let’s put a mil, let’s put two mil, let’s put 5 mil on it. But I bet you won’t, Dana, because you’re a b****.”
White Said He Didn’t ‘Care’ About Paul vs. Silva
White never accepted Paul’s bet. And when White spoke with TMZ Sports after Paul vs. Silva was announced, the UFC president said he didn’t “care” about the contest.
“I don’t care about that. I literally was saying the other day, everybody keeps asking me about Jake. This guy’s not even in my sport!!”
“I don’t care.”