‘I’m in the age bracket’: Dana White responds to Jake Paul’s prediction of knocking UFC boss out
LAS VEGAS – Dana White seems unfazed by recent threatening comments made by YouTuber-turner-boxer Jake Paul.
Following the conclusion of UFC on ESPN 30 at the UFC Apex, White was asked about Paul’s recent statement that if he ran into White, their feud would end up with Paul “knocking him the f*ck out.”
The proposition that makes sense to the UFC president who poked fun at Paul’s boxing opponents, including post-UFC-career athletes Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
“It actually makes sense,” White told MMA Junkie at the UFC on ESPN 30 post-fight news conference. “I’m 52 years old. I’m in the age bracket of guys he fights, so yeah, I could see him wanting to fight me. It’s all he fights are 50-year-olds.”
White said he doesn’t take Paul’s threat that seriously – at least not enough to organize any legal papers. Like with his fighters, White expects “mean things” to be said in the combat sports world – even ones directed at him.
“Let me tell you what,” White said. “Get in line. There are plenty of people who would like to assault me. Get in line. It’s a long f*cking line, buddy. You’re going to be waiting for a while. No, it doesn’t bother me. This is the business we’re in. I say it all the time about the fighters, too. We are not in the nice guy business. This is a very mean business. I say many mean things about people, too. It’s just part of this game. It’s all good.”
The back-and-forth is the latest chapter in the saga of Paul and White. Although White has long said he’s not interested in doing business with Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer has remained relentless in his prodding. He constantly attempts to goad the UFC president while bringing up the issue of fighter pay.
Paul, 24, fights former UFC welterweight champion, Woodley, on Sunday in Cleveland as the headlining match of a Showtime pay-per-view. He will look to advance to 4-0 as a professional boxer against Woodley, a pro boxing debutant.
UFC on ESPN 30 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
Check out Dana White’s full UFC on ESPN 30 post-fight news conference in the video above.
