Jake Paul and Anderson Silva
Fans react to Jake Paul calling for United Fighters Association for better athlete welfare
Jake Paul returns to action this weekend against octagon legend Anderson Silva this weekend. The YouTuber-turned-boxer faces the longest-reigning middleweight champion in the UFC who crossed over to pugilism after retiring from MMA. With fight day fast approaching, ‘The Problem Child’, known to place newfangled bets against his opponents, amped the stakes by calling for a United Fighters Association.
During the final leg of the press conference for the fight, Paul laid down the stakes for the winner and loser of the fight. According to the American’s proposition, if Silva wins, Paul would be liable to face the Brazilian in an MMA or kickboxing bout. Additionally, if Paul does end up beating Silva, ‘Spider’ has to join forces with the American to set up United Fighters Association- an entity that will work extensively towards fighter welfare and pay.
“If I win, me and you come together to create a united fighters’ association to help UFC fighters get better pay and better health care. You become the interim president. We unite to help these fighters once and for all.”
Silva immediately shook hands on the bet and got on board with the idea.
Paul further shed light on the importance of having Silva join the organization:
“The fighters need to band together and Anderson is the perfect guy. He’s all of our idols, every fighters’ idol. So, he would be a very powerful figure. This type of thing just needs to happen for fighters.”
Despite Paul’s efforts, fight fans are less than convinced that the American has the best interest of combatants on his mind. They took to Twitter to express their concerns under a tweet made by Jake Paul.
One fan called this Jake Paul’s tactics to get back at UFC president Dana White, with whom he has a longstanding feud:
“No one believes you actually care about ufc fighters. We all know you are doing this to get under Dana’s skin. The only ufc fighters you care about have been retired for years, pushing 50 and willing to box you.”
Another fan commented:
“What is that? A group that fights 40 yr old men that aren’t primarily boxers?”
Yet another fan wrote:
“This a rare L for you my guy.”
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