What am I missing? - Jones' Asking Price

[wearetheromans]

Jones needs that money to pay for his care after ngannou turns him into a vegetable

 

[Kinggs]

The problem is when the ufc give jones 10 million, so ngannou, masvidal, usman, and the other top fighters will not accept the current salary. The next contenders wants too more money.

 

[Shishio]

Jones is trying to price himself out of the fight IMO.

100%

 

[joeson]

Jones needs to do what Masvidal did, increase the PPV percentage. If he believes that this is a big fight, a bigger percentage will give him that payday he is looking for. It’s also no risk for the UFC. They’ll still get the big PPV dollars if this card is as big as they think but without the upfront risk.

 

[Peli]

Jones is claiming 8-10m for a fight with Ngannou is "not nearly enough."

Now, Jones has never sold over 869k ppvs (Cormier 2). Nor has Ngannou, for that matter.

Let us take what we know of UFC 200 as an example:

UFC 200, Jul 9, 2016.

Total Revenue: $55,279,396
Other Costs: $12,848,217
Fighter Compensation: $19,905,008
Total Costs: $32,753,225

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/6/...much-does-jon-jones-make-fighting-for-the-ufc

That's with a card with: Lesnar, Cormier, Silva, Nunes, Tate, Aldo, Edgar, Cain...

It sold 1 million buys.

Brock's purse was 2.5m. Even assuming he made thrice as much in undisclosed bonuses, we are talking 7.5m. Jones is saying 10m is not nearly enough to fight Francis.

Khabib vs. McGregor made 2.6m. Conor's purse was 3m, Khabib was 6m. again, assuming the actual amount is triple disclosed: we are looking at 9m and 18m for the biggest fight in UFC history, with the biggest star in the sport's history, by a long shot.

Even assuming the event with Jones and Ngannou makes around 1.2m/1.3m and makes around $60m-70m in revenue, if they paid 15m to Jones and 10m to Ngganou, that would be 25m in fighter compensation costs only in the main event. That would be 2.5x higher than what Khabib and Conor made for a 2.6m ppv, and more 5m over the total pay for UFC 200 which included Lesnar and all the other guys that competed there.

Khabibs purse against mcgregor was 2m, not 6. Conor was 3m. Khabibs purse against Dustin was reportedly 6m

 

[Oldman1]

Jones is claiming 8-10m for a fight with Ngannou is "not nearly enough."

Now, Jones has never sold over 869k ppvs (Cormier 2). Nor has Ngannou, for that matter.

Let us take what we know of UFC 200 as an example:

UFC 200, Jul 9, 2016.

Total Revenue: $55,279,396
Other Costs: $12,848,217
Fighter Compensation: $19,905,008
Total Costs: $32,753,225

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/6/...much-does-jon-jones-make-fighting-for-the-ufc

That's with a card with: Lesnar, Cormier, Silva, Nunes, Tate, Aldo, Edgar, Cain...

It sold 1 million buys.

Brock's purse was 2.5m. Even assuming he made thrice as much in undisclosed bonuses, we are talking 7.5m. Jones is saying 10m is not nearly enough to fight Francis.

Khabib vs. McGregor made 2.6m. Conor's purse was 3m, Khabib was 6m. again, assuming the actual amount is triple disclosed: we are looking at 9m and 18m for the biggest fight in UFC history, with the biggest star in the sport's history, by a long shot.

Even assuming the event with Jones and Ngannou makes around 1.2m/1.3m and makes around $60m-70m in revenue, if they paid 15m to Jones and 10m to Ngganou, that would be 25m in fighter compensation costs only in the main event. That would be 2.5x higher than what Khabib and Conor made for a 2.6m ppv, and more 5m over the total pay for UFC 200 which included Lesnar and all the other guys that competed there.

You could have posted in one of the other million threads on this topic.

 

[Sopapo]

I truly believe a Jones Nganou rivalry really is other worldly

 

[Paolo Delutis]

Jones is claiming 8-10m for a fight with Ngannou is "not nearly enough."

Now, Jones has never sold over 869k ppvs (Cormier 2). Nor has Ngannou, for that matter.

Let us take what we know of UFC 200 as an example:

UFC 200, Jul 9, 2016.

Total Revenue: $55,279,396
Other Costs: $12,848,217
Fighter Compensation: $19,905,008
Total Costs: $32,753,225

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2020/6/...much-does-jon-jones-make-fighting-for-the-ufc

That's with a card with: Lesnar, Cormier, Silva, Nunes, Tate, Aldo, Edgar, Cain...

It sold 1 million buys.

Brock's purse was 2.5m. Even assuming he made thrice as much in undisclosed bonuses, we are talking 7.5m. Jones is saying 10m is not nearly enough to fight Francis.

Khabib vs. McGregor made 2.6m. Conor's purse was 3m, Khabib was 6m. again, assuming the actual amount is triple disclosed: we are looking at 9m and 18m for the biggest fight in UFC history, with the biggest star in the sport's history, by a long shot.

Even assuming the event with Jones and Ngannou makes around 1.2m/1.3m and makes around $60m-70m in revenue, if they paid 15m to Jones and 10m to Ngganou, that would be 25m in fighter compensation costs only in the main event. That would be 2.5x higher than what Khabib and Conor made for a 2.6m ppv, and more 5m over the total pay for UFC 200 which included Lesnar and all the other guys that competed there.

Just pay him 12 mill with half a point on PPV shares(or none) and no backstage shit... Give ngannou 13 mill...with 1 full point on ppv as hes champion and we get to see the greatest HW fight in UFC history....

For 25 mill...its an easy trade off...UFC will still be the winners..

What this is really about is the UFC being cheap...if they give jones 12 mil...conor wont fight for less then 20 mil....they dont want to raise the precedent of fighter pay....they want to keep the talent cheap and renevues big...

 

[TerrorTimmy]

Can you point me to which PPVs the UFC ever lost money on? Because a million buy PPV generates $50 to $75 million for the UFC. There is more than enough space in there for huge purses and UFC profit.

Not if Jones is demanding $50 million for himself, which is literally what his coaches are asking for.

 

[Foppa21]

It's his prerogative to get as much as he can for his services. I think all of us are guessing on the market rate for any fighter

 

[krelianx]

It also seems like a bad investment. If Jones wins, then he won't defend unless another fight of that magnitude and pay comes along. He will play hardball, refuse smaller sacale fights, and potentially give up the title rather than defend if the UFC is not willing to acquiesce to his demands or if no big fights come up. Dana wasn't happy with the Cejudo or GSP situation.

If they simply move on without him they have Ngannou who is immensely marketable, a lot cheaper, easier to negotiate with, and who actually has the intention of staying active. They can build him with a few defenses against lesser competition and get his numbers quickly up, without risking a stall-fest with Jones holding a title.

Why would the UFC risk all that for a very expensive single fight, and risk the most marketable HW champion they have had arguably in a decade or more?

If I am Dana I am thinking I am only opening a can of worms by risking Ngannou to lose his title and Jones to hold it. The last thing I want is Jones asking for this kind of money to fight every time, effectively bringing the division to a stall, or forcing me to strip him and discredit the title. Not to mention there simply aren't any other fights in the division that would generate the same interest.

I say, fuck Jones, move on without him.

 

[avenue94]

Not if Jones is demanding $50 million for himself, which is literally what his coaches are asking for.

you got a quote for that? Cuz Jones seems to be asking for closer to $15 million.

It also seems like a bad investment. If Jones wins, then he won't defend unless another fight of that magnitude and pay comes along. He will play hardball, refuse smaller sacale fights, and potentially give up the title rather than defend if the UFC is not willing to acquiesce to his demands or if no big fights come up. Dana wasn't happy with the Cejudo or GSP situation.

If they simply move on without him they have Ngannou who is immensely marketable, a lot cheaper, easier to negotiate with, and who actually has the intention of staying active. They can build him with a few defenses against lesser competition and get his numbers quickly up, without risking a stall-fest with Jones holding a title.

Why would the UFC risk all that for a very expensive single fight, and risk the most marketable HW champion they have had arguably in a decade or more?

If I am Dana I am thinking I am only opening a can of worms by risking Ngannou to lose his title and Jones to hold it. The last thing I want is Jones asking for this kind of money to fight every time, effectively bringing the division to a stall, or forcing me to strip him and discredit the title. Not to mention there simply aren't any other fights in the division that would generate the same interest.

I say, fuck Jones, move on without him.

The risk/reward calculus for the UFC is simple. To create a PPV star, you either need them to be a dominant champ racking up several defenses, or you need them to beat a star and take their cache with the public. It's heavyweight and Ngnannou isn't the msot consistent fighter, so the former is unlikely. Stipe wasn't a star, and HW doesn't have any PPV draws atm. Ergo, if you are the UFC, you need Ngannou to beat Jones to get his stardom rolling.

 

[Draxton]

Jones is trying to price himself out of the fight IMO.

This. He’s also looking for a retirement cash out because if he loses, I think he is don. His ego won’t be able to handle a true loss.

If he wins great l, there are other winnable fights at HW for him. I just don’t think Francis or maybe Lewis are 2 of them. I think they both have the potential to beat Jon but.

 

[Draxton]

It also seems like a bad investment. If Jones wins, then he won't defend unless another fight of that magnitude and pay comes along. He will play hardball, refuse smaller sacale fights, and potentially give up the title rather than defend if the UFC is not willing to acquiesce to his demands or if no big fights come up. Dana wasn't happy with the Cejudo or GSP situation.

If they simply move on without him they have Ngannou who is immensely marketable, a lot cheaper, easier to negotiate with, and who actually has the intention of staying active. They can build him with a few defenses against lesser competition and get his numbers quickly up, without risking a stall-fest with Jones holding a title.

Why would the UFC risk all that for a very expensive single fight, and risk the most marketable HW champion they have had arguably in a decade or more?

If I am Dana I am thinking I am only opening a can of worms by risking Ngannou to lose his title and Jones to hold it. The last thing I want is Jones asking for this kind of money to fight every time, effectively bringing the division to a stall, or forcing me to strip him and discredit the title. Not to mention there simply aren't any other fights in the division that would generate the same interest.

I say, fuck Jones, move on without him.

If he wins I think he will defend. Who’s next in line? Lewis is a tough fight but I think Jon thinks he can win it. Blaydes is probably an easy fight for Jon.

Also, fuck Jon Jones.

 

[bubbleboyjones]

While I agree with most of what you're saying, I think part of the point is that UFC fighters have been historically underpaid, especially compared to elite boxers. So just because fighters were underpaid in the past, does not necessarily mean that Jones should accept being underpaid now.

Having said that, he does seem to be asking for too much here... but that's how negotiations work. You have to start high, sometimes absurdly so, if you want to end up actually getting what you believe is right.

Has the UFC ever paid a fighter more based on negotiations in public? The only instance I am aware of is Jorge but thats because Jorge filled in last minute. I don't recall a fighter ever getting a good deal by using the public against them for leverage.

 

[Royce's Gi]

I wonder if anyone would watch me vs Frankster Ngannou (since i only demand 8 mill USD)

 

[SeattleFightFan]

It also seems like a bad investment. If Jones wins, then he won't defend unless another fight of that magnitude and pay comes along. He will play hardball, refuse smaller sacale fights, and potentially give up the title rather than defend if the UFC is not willing to acquiesce to his demands or if no big fights come up. Dana wasn't happy with the Cejudo or GSP situation.

If they simply move on without him they have Ngannou who is immensely marketable, a lot cheaper, easier to negotiate with, and who actually has the intention of staying active. They can build him with a few defenses against lesser competition and get his numbers quickly up, without risking a stall-fest with Jones holding a title.

Why would the UFC risk all that for a very expensive single fight, and risk the most marketable HW champion they have had arguably in a decade or more?

If I am Dana I am thinking I am only opening a can of worms by risking Ngannou to lose his title and Jones to hold it. The last thing I want is Jones asking for this kind of money to fight every time, effectively bringing the division to a stall, or forcing me to strip him and discredit the title. Not to mention there simply aren't any other fights in the division that would generate the same interest.

I say, fuck Jones, move on without him.

It is definitely a fine line. Cannot thrive without the big stars and cannot pay them too much. Both parties know this.

And like him or hate him, Dana has generally threaded that needle pretty well.

I remember an interview around 2004 or 2006 when Tito demanded $500k. Dana told him that TUF changed everything and that they would get there soon, but they’re not quite there yet, and offered him $300k. Tito walked a year later Dana signed Tito for $500k and said “I told you we’d get there”. Both parties thought they won.

 

[ShreddinMMA]

Might be the only time I agree with Jones on something. And I also think he doesn't really want this fight.

Ngannou vs Jones is a true super match. It's going to sell huge, especially with a stacked card around it. It's likely to be the last "mega fight" opportunity he has. The UFC also criminally underpays fighters. He's not wrong to highlight how little he's being offered for the magnitude this event seems to carry.

Fuck Dana not paying fighters. Ngannou vs Jones has serious potential and Dana barely wants to pay McGregor money to Jones for a single fight.

Like fuck. I strongly dislike Jones but he's not wrong here. He should do everything possible to make this worth his time.

 

[cakemuncher]

imho, Conor's purse should be considered the (generous) UPPER limit of what Jones might expect.

Yes, the fight between Jones i Ngannou is arguably much more interesting to true MMA fans and MMA enthusiast, but it still won't generate as much revenue as Conor.

So, I doubt Dana will be outrageously generous...

 

[Ozze]

Where does this 55m revenue number comes from for UFC 200? The reported gate alone was 10 million. Add in a million pay per views plus sponsors, tv deals, etc...

UFCs numbers are always so shady. At least if they go public everyone will know how much they actually make.