White: Jones wants $30M purse for Ngannou fight
Former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones asked for a guaranteed purse of $30 million to fight Francis Ngannou for the heavyweight title, according to UFC president Dana White.
"In his deal, he's talking he wants $30 million guaranteed," White said during an appearance on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" earlier this week. "The way that this works is these guys all share in the pay-per-view. ... That's how you run a business and you don't go broke."
But Jones pushed back against White's claim in a tweet Friday:
I never discussed wanting 30 million with you or Hunter @danawhite just wondering where you heard that number? Is someone speaking with you on my behalf or...
— BONY (@JonnyBones) April 23, 2021
Jones was originally penciled in to challenge the winner of Ngannou versus Stipe Miocic, which took place in March, but the UFC changed its plans due to tensions between Jones and White. Jones made it clear he wanted a significant pay increase for the fight, noting that $8 million to $10 million would be "way too low," and White questioned whether Jones was serious about challenging Ngannou for a second belt.
White recently said Ngannou would likely defend his title against top heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis instead.
"We tried to work with Jon, and we eventually have to move on," White said. He added: "It's up to him whether he wants to fight again."