- Dana White and
Conor McGregor both appeared to trashJake Paul on Saturday. - The creator was present at the
UFC 261 event in Florida, attracting a "F--- Jake Paul," chant. - "He's getting hand-picked opponents [in boxing]," White said.
Conor McGregor and the UFC boss Dana White both trashed Jake Paul and what he stood for in boxing.
The MMA power couple made their comments after a wild night in which the creator was mercilessly booed by some of the 15,000 people at the UFC 261 event inside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Florida.
"F--- Jake Paul," they screamed, as the former two-weight UFC champion
Cormier and Paul had a recent Twitter to-and-fro that culminated with the hostilities Saturday. On the ESPN broadcast, the former athlete relayed to UFC commentator Joe Rogan what he had apparently told the 24-year-old.
"Don't play with me, because I'll smack you in the face," Cormier said.
At the post-event press conference, White, the UFC President, didn't seem happy with what the YouTuber was trying to do in showbiz boxing.
Showbiz boxing, as Insider has previously reported, is a separate entity to professional boxing as it incorporates music, retired boxers in their 50s, athletes from other
Paul has a pro boxing record of 3-0-0, 3 KOs but all three bouts were in showbiz boxing and he is yet to legitimate himself as a boxer.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again: this kid has done a good job putting himself in a place to make some money," White told reporters at the post-event press conference.
"Good for him, he's got you guys talking about him all the time, asking questions about him, got Daniel Cormier running after him, so he's doing something right.
"[But] he knocked out an NBA guy who was forty years old and thirty pounds less than him and I don't even know what do think about the Askren thing."
White continued: "The whole thing is f------ mind-boggling to me. But good for him, grab that money while you can, kid."
When asked if he'd ever promote an event that involved Paul, White said: "Do you know what would happen to this guy?
"He ain't fighting in the UFC. You're getting me talking about this f------ guy again. He's getting hand-picked opponents and God knows what else is going on with that f------ thing.
"There's a market for that. That's not what I do. Not what I do."
McGregor also commented on the situation on Twitter, albeit in a far more concise manner.
-Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) April 25, 2021
"UFC high-level fighting > blogger jackass boxing," McGregor tweeted.
This appears to be a change in tone compared to the Irishman's past comments earlier this year.
In January, McGregor said he's "certainly a viewer" of YouTube boxers like Jake Paul, and denied that they make a mockery of fighting.
The 32-year-old has his own fight to prepare for as he headlines a July 10 trilogy bout involving ongoing rival Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in Las Vegas - International Fight Week.