Jake Paul has claimed in the past to support various UFC fighters’ bids for improved pay and healthcare. However, UFC commentator Din Thomas, in a recent MMAFighting interview, pointed to his Twitter callouts of Luke Rockhold and Kamaru Usman, which included calling Rockhold “embarrassing” and “easy money”.
Thomas wants Jake Paul to have more respect for legends of the combat sports world. “It’s very contradictory, right? Whose side are you actually on? He’s in a position where he might be the most popular fighter around. He and Conor might be the most popular fighters, and he’s done a lot for combat sports. You can’t take that away from him. He’s done a lot for combat sports — for women, for men, boxing, all of that — he’s brought a lot of attention to combat sports, and to the fighters, but a lot of times, it’s for the wrong reasons.
Din Thomas Doubts Jake Paul After Usman, Rockhold Diss: “Whose Side Are You Actually On?!”
On one hand, you’re trying to get everybody paid, you cancel your show but you still pay your fighters half the money, that’s a good thing. A lot of promoters wouldn’t have done that, but he did — I guess maybe to save face, but he’s got the money. But the reality is, in terms of standing up for fighters, he’s not standing up for fighters.
When you go on there and you rip a guy like Usman, and then you’re ripping legends like Luke Rockhold, dude, what are you doing?
You just came out [in the game], you’re 24 years old. I’ve been fighting longer than he’s been alive and he’s dogging people, he’s dogging fighters.”
Din Thomas also pointed out that the target of Jake Paul’s ire has long been the UFC, while fighters in smaller promotions tend to have a far harder time of things.
“If you really want to help and you think fighter pay is bad, continue to run your shows, and continue to pay fighters more.
In the grand scheme of things, in the world of MMA, not the world of UFC, but the world of MMA, UFC fighters are fine. They are doing just fine, and most of them are happy.
Maybe a couple of them aren’t, but most of them are happy, most of them are lucky, and most of them are blessed to be in the position they’re in. Because when you’re not in the UFC and you’re still putting your body on the line, still training like you’re fighting in the UFC and your health is still on the line, and the risk is still the same in these other organizations, you ain’t making no money.
That’s who Jake Paul needs to help, not the UFC guys.” Is Din Thomas right about Jake Paul? Let us know in the comments.