UFC CEO Dana White and Jake Paul accused each other of abusing substances in the early part of Paul’s boxing career.
Dana White and Jake Paul are two of the most polarizing personalities in combat sports. Paul’s boxing career is as divisive as any in the sport’s history, and White’s refusal to be censored sometimes leads to wild verbal exchanges.
Paul has repeatedly criticized White and the UFC for how they conduct business; most specifically on the issue of fighter pay. In addition, Paul has claimed that White uses cocaine, with zero evidence to back up the allegation.
After Paul challenged White to offer him a UFC fight in exchange for ending his boxing career, White provided a wild counter-offer as he hit back at the cocaine claims.
Dana White and Jake Paul’s feud kicked off with a bizarre social media challenge
In a 2022 social media post, White went off on Paul.
“Jake, you never responded to the challenge,” White said. “You publicly stated that I use cocaine, I do not. So I told you that you could randomly cocaine test me for the next ten years. I believe you’re a cheater, and I believe you use steroids, so I want to randomly steroid test you for the next two years.
“And that thing you came out with today? Nobody on earth thinks that you really wrote that, you’re too stupid…his manager, that guy used to be an accountant for me, and let’s just say this – he no longer works for me and I think he’s a scum bag. But, if you two think that you can do it better than [the UFC], we’re doing this whole thing wrong, you can treat the fighters better than we do, knock yourself out! Start your own business! Get the ‘warlock’ [Nakisa Bidarian] on it.
“You’re tanking, you can’t sell pay-per-views. You’re calling out Jorge Masvidal because he’s a pay-per-view superstar. Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, Mike Tyson, these are all superstars. And you’re not…I don’t use cocaine, do you use steroids? Let’s do this, Jake.”
Paul has had to answer steroid allegations throughout his polarizing boxing career. After White’s counter-offer, neither side agreed to the terms, and Paul continued his run in boxing.
Paul has defeated several of White’s former employees, including former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva. White placed $1 million on Ben Askren to defeat Paul in their 2021 boxing match, and Paul went on to knock out Askren in the first round.
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Dana White advised Mike Tyson against accepting Jake Paul boxing match
Ahead of Paul’s last boxing match against heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, White attempted to steer Tyson away from returning to the ring. Paul went on to defeat the 58-year-old Tyson by unanimous decision in a fight that fell well short of expectations.
Paul will return to the boxing ring later this month against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his first fight since the Tyson win. Since suffering his first professional loss to Tommy Fury in 2023, Paul has won five-straight fights, including wins over Mike Perry and former UFC superstar Nate Diaz.
While tensions have lessened in recent years, Paul and White will likely never be amiable, but don’t expect their bad blood to escalate into more obscure challenges.