Jake Paul invests in UFC's parent company amid feud over fighter pay
Jake Paul said Tuesday he has purchased stock in the UFC's parent company, Endeavor, amid his public battle with the MMA promotion over the amounts of money it pays fighters.
I’ve invested in EDR (UFC) stock with my partner @geoffreywoo 2 focus on UFCs ESG standards relating to fighters. We believe EDR can drive long-term economic value by increasing UFC fighter pay & providing them healthcare. Reaching out to @EngineNo_1 to partner on this “endeavor”
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 25, 2022
Paul's business partner, Geoffrey Woo, said the goal of their investment is to increase the UFC's revenue split with its athletes from "within."
"We will use our investment stake to rally fans, athletes, fellow shareholders, and management to do the right thing," Woo wrote on Twitter.
It remains to be seen whether Paul's investment - which will give them access to Endeavor shareholder meetings - will be able to make any kind of difference in the UFC. Investment firm Silver Lake Partners controlled more than 68% of Endeavor's voting power at the time of its IPO launch in April 2021, according to Bloomberg's Crystal Tse and John J Edwards III.
Paul, a YouTuber-turned boxer, has become an advocate for MMA fighter pay over the past several months.
He has also feuded with UFC president Dana White on social media in recent weeks. The 25-year-old said earlier in January that he would retire from boxing if the UFC increases its minimum purse to $50,000, increases the split of all revenues to 50%, and starts to provide long-term health care to fighters by March 31.
Paul is coming off a knockout win over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in December, which lifted his professional boxing record to 5-0.