Nolan King: Not for his immediate future, but it’s helpful for fighter pay as a whole
Jon Jones is in a unique position. Sure, he doesn’t have Conor McGregor’s popularity, but he’s still one of MMA’s biggest draws. UFC president Dana White, as recently as last week, called him the GOAT and frankly, it’s hard to argue he’s not.
Recently, Jones and the UFC have made this spat very public and personal. Not many stars have been willing to go there with the UFC. We’re in somewhat uncharted territory here, especially given the nature of how nasty the back-and-forth has become.
For years, many, including myself, have said that fighter pay issues won’t get better if those at the top don’t speak out. That’s what’s happening here. Now when White does interviews, he’s asked tough questions about fighter pay. The business side of the sport is slowly creeping into the No. 1 slot of the regular questions White receives.
Parting ways or stripping Jones would cause collateral damage to the UFC, if the promotion ever went either (or both) of those routes. However, I doubt they’ll release him. In fact, I’d be willing to say there’s no chance in hell. More than likely, the UFC would put Jones on hold.
If it comes down to a pissing contest against the UFC, that’s a fight I’m not sure Jones can win. The UFC is a well oiled machine, which has had its fair share of skirmishes with numerous notable fighters over the years. Almost always, the UFC comes out on top.
Next page – Farah Hannoun: I don’t think the UFC bites, but it won’t be smart to relinquish the title, either