Jake Paul 's former opponent Ben Askren thinks the YouTuber-turned-boxer isn't being sincere with his efforts to improve MMA fighter pay.
Paul, 25, challenged UFC legend Anderson Silva to help him set up a union for MMA fighters if he was to win their fight this past weekend. Silva will now have to take Paul up on the bet as he lost a unanimous decision to 'The Problem Child', who extended his unbeaten record to six professional fights with the win.
Askren, who was brutally knocked out by Paul in their fight last year, thinks his former opponent isn't addressing MMA fighter pay in enough detail. “Jake’s a little disingenuous on it," Askren told MMA News. "He’s not going in-depth enough. He just keeps being like 'the fighters aren’t paid enough, the fighters aren’t paid enough’ and there’s so much more to it.
What are your thoughts on Jake Paul's proposed union for MMA fighters ? Let us know in the comments section below
“I think there are a lot of things the UFC could do a little bit better, but I think they’re generally doing a pretty good job. I don’t know, I guess I would love to hear Dana kind of talk, and he never will, but talk at length about the business aspects of paying fighters more and what it would mean for the organisation how profitable they are, and all those things. I think it’d be fascinating.”
Several MMA associations have previously been discussed, with the most serious one being led by former UFC champions Georges St-Pierre and Cain Velasquez in 2016. An official union has never been implemented in the sport but that could now change as Paul and Silva look to recruit other fighters in their new campaign.
Paul said part of his decision to start a fighters union is to "expose" the UFC and practices used by their president Dana White, who Paul has been going back and forth with over pay issues in the promotion over the past year. "He [Dana] is trying to do everything he can to stop my run, to sabotage my fights. He hates me. He hates what I’m doing," Paul said.
Askren defended UFC fighter pay by stating the minimum purse in the promotion is often a lot more than many of the undercard fighters in boxing make, adding of Paul: “He’s promoted boxing obviously, versus mixed martial arts, like in UFC the entry base pay is $12,000 and $12,000.
"You will get a major boxing card with guys that have been paid under $10,000. Where’s Jake’s? Where’s his card? I’d guarantee there’s dudes on there that didn’t.”
