Written by Jake Paul | Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024
Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson and now he’s back to butting heads with another combat sports giant.
Paul’s Netflix-broadcasted boxing bout with Tyson fell flat in the ring as Paul coasted to a forgettable decision Friday, but from the business side of things the event was unequivocally a massive success. Netflix later touted that the event drew over 60 million live viewers and produced a gate over $18 million, a record for a combat sports event in held in Texas.
UFC CEO Dana White was critical of the matchup in the lead-up to the event and afterwards, he blasted Paul’s performance, saying, “Jake Paul couldn’t do shit to him.”
On Sunday, Paul took his own shot at white, citing some of White’s failed ventures and accusing him of preventing UFC star Conor McGregor from pursuing lucrative opportunities outside of the promotion.
Dana White has a been boxing promoter his whole career. All these nut riders need to do their research. His TV show failed. Couldn’t sell 4K tickets in Dublin with that useless Irish boxer he’s promoting. And he is not fighters first. He’s Dana first. Builds you up and tears you… pic.twitter.com/3CBIseHLSS
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 17, 2024
“Dana White has a been boxing promoter his whole career,” Paul said. “All these nut riders need to do their research. His TV show failed. Couldn’t sell 4K tickets in Dublin with that useless Irish boxer [Callum Walsh] he’s promoting.
“And he is not fighters first. He’s Dana first. Builds you up and tears you down. Now Conor McGregor is hostage. Free Conor.”
Paul has long been in conflict with White due to Paul accusing White and the UFC of underpaying its fighters. Presumably, Paul used McGregor as an example because of the massive amount of money and attention he has brought in for the UFC and the fact that he’d like to fight McGregor in the future.
In another tweet, Paul touted the success of his fight with Tyson, saying that their fight drew more than any event in UFC history.
Crazy that we did a bigger gate than every UFC event history & that company is 30+ years old. Biggest gate of Mike Tyson’s career. Biggest attendance of Mike’s career. Biggest viewership of Mike’s career. Biggest combat sports gate in US combat sports history outside of Las… https://t.co/X8pCQw9ifj
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 17, 2024
“Crazy that we did a bigger gate than every UFC event [in] history and that company is 30-plus years old,” Paul wrote. “Biggest gate of Mike Tyson’s career. Biggest attendance of Mike’s career. Biggest viewership of Mike’s career. Biggest combat sports gate in U.S. combat sports history outside of Las Vegas.”
Paul is currently signed to the PFL, a rival promotion, adding another wrinkle to the influencer boxer’s feud with White. He is yet to step into the cage for the league, but has said he plans to try his hand at MMA sometime in the future.