Jake Paul is taking aim at the UFC’s big plans. On August 11 2025, he criticized a new $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount and CBS, which UFC CEO Dana White claims will end the pay-per-view model starting in 2026. Paul called the announcement hypocritical, pointing to several upcoming PPV events and encouraging UFC fighters to seek better compensation.
Announced on August 11 2025 by the New York Times and CNBC, the UFC’s seven-year agreement with Paramount and CBS starts in 2026 and ends in 2033. It offers all UFC events, including numbered cards, on Paramount Plus and CBS for a subscription starting at $7.99 monthly. White called it a major step, saying it makes fights affordable and boosts fighter visibility.
Paul sees flaws. He noted upcoming PPV events, including UFC 319 featuring Dricus Du Plessis on August 16 2025, UFC 320 with Alex Pereira, and another with Tom Aspinall. He argues the UFC can’t claim PPV is over while still using it heavily.
Paul spoke clearly:
“The hubris from these guys is unreal if your their partner,” he said. “First they talk about getting into boxing with no risk and charging fees on fees on fees from their partners who are putting up the money.”He added, “Now they are saying PPV is dead when they have a PPV this weekend with Du Plessis and another one with Pereira and another one with Aspinall and another one with… Every fighter in the UFC now has a clear picture of what the revenue is no more PPV excuses. Get your worth boys and girls.”
The hubris from these guys is unreal if ur their partner. 1st they talk about getting into boxing with no risk & charging fees on fees on fees from their partners who are putting up the money.
Now they are saying PPV is dead when they have a PPV this weekend with Du Plessis… pic.twitter.com/1jqYaZu0UQ
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 11, 2025
Every fighter in the UFC now has a clear picture of what the revenue is…no more PPV excuses. Get your worth boys and girls.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 11, 2025
His remarks target White and TKO President Mark Shapiro, who described PPV as outdated and said the deal targets younger fans in rural areas.
Born January 17, 1997, in Cleveland, Ohio, Jake Paul gained fame as a YouTube creator before starting boxing in 2020. His professional debut was a first-round knockout of AnEsonGib on DAZN. He holds a 12-1 record with 7 knockouts, defeating Nate Diaz in 2023, Anderson Silva in 2022, Tyron Woodley twice in 2021, Ben Askren in 2021, and Mike Tyson in 2024 via unanimous decision. His only loss was a split decision to Tommy Fury in 2023.
Paul’s fights draw huge audiences. His Tyson bout, Netflix’s first boxing event, reached millions. He co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Nakisa Bidarian, focusing on non-PPV platforms, like his 2020 DAZN fight. His feud with White began in 2020 when he accused the UFC of underpaying fighters. In 2022, he released a diss track targeting White as a “coke head,”.
Paul supported Ben Askren’s 2025 double lung transplant, pledging donations with his brother Logan and criticizing White for not helping. He also threatened lawsuits against critics like Piers Morgan for calling his fights staged, after his June 28 2025 win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Dana White became UFC president in 2001 after Zuffa bought the promotion for $2 million. He transformed it into a global brand, selling it for $4 billion in 2016 to WME-IMG, now TKO Group. His broadcast deals include a 2019 ESPN contract for $1.5 billion and the 2025 Paramount deal at $7.7 billion.White’s tenure has faced backlash. Fighters like Jon Jones, Randy Couture, and Francis Ngannou criticized low pay. Ngannou earned $600,000 for a 2021 title defense, far less than boxing purses. White’s side projects, like Power Slap, drew scrutiny. His feud with Paul escalated in 2022 when White proposed mutual drug tests—steroids for Paul, cocaine for himself.
Paul’s stance echoes past disputes. In 2003, Tito Ortiz held out for better pay before signing a new UFC deal. Randy Couture quit in 2008 over revenue splits. Francis Ngannou left for PFL in 2023, securing equity and higher purses. A 2021 Forbes analysis showed UFC fighters earn about 20% of revenue, compared to 50% in the NHL.The PPV model has long been debated. In 2017, White defended PPV as a way to fund fighter bonuses. The 2026 deal’s subscription model could change this, but Paul’s point about ongoing PPVs highlights a gap between the UFC’s words and actions.
Paul’s June 28 2025 fight against Chavez Jr. competed with UFC 317, and White claimed he didn’t notice. Bidarian called it false, saying White closely follows Paul’s moves.
