Jake Paul has expressed the view that the anticipated matchup between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler is unlikely to occur until the UFC finalizes a new television deal.
The UFC’s opportunity to secure a new broadcasting agreement officially begins in January 2025, with ongoing discussions happening currently.
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Currently, ESPN holds the rights to broadcast UFC events after signing a five-year agreement in 2019.
Mark Shapiro, the president of TKO Group Holdings, the UFC’s parent company, recently noted that they are considering offers from various bidders, although they have expressed a desire to continue their partnership with ESPN.
The outcome will largely depend on which party can present the most advantageous deal, and that brings McGregor into the conversation.
The Irish fighter’s planned June bout with Michael Chandler has been postponed indefinitely due to McGregor sustaining a broken toe.
Both athletes are advocating for the fight to be rescheduled for December; however, UFC president Dana White maintains that it won’t take place until 2025.
Paul suggests that White’s hesitance to organize the bout this year is tied to McGregor’s significance in negotiating a new broadcasting agreement.
« For those who don’t understand why Conor isn’t fighting, it’s because he has two fights remaining on his contract, and the UFC is working on renewing their rights deal, » Paul explained during the latest episode of his BS w/Jake Paul podcast, featuring special guest Francis Ngannou.
« They license their events to networks, which are the fights themselves. So they are either negotiating with multiple parties or may choose to renew with ESPN. A part of that negotiation involves saying, ‘Hey, we have Conor McGregor available for two more matches.’
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Credit: BS W/Jake Paul
« If McGregor were to fight now, it wouldn’t factor into those negotiations. The UFC would think, ‘Oh, now you only have Conor for one fight.’
« This is why Conor isn’t actively competing right now, as they treat fighters this way. »
« If you go ahead and sign a contract you didn’t actually want to sign, » he added, gesturing towards Ngannou, who passed on a lucrative UFC deal last year to explore free agency.
« If you win your fights, then you’re tied into three more matches, and the terms vary from contract to contract. Essentially, winning can be a disadvantage because it locks you into more fights.
« They have all these clauses dictating that if certain conditions are met, things will happen, and if you lose, different things occur. So in effect, you become completely bound to them. »
« What you did, Ngannou, is truly groundbreaking. You opted for a lower payout to gain freedom, and now it has played out well for you, leading to two marquee boxing bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua over the past couple of years. »
« I commend you for being a trailblazer by signing with the PFL, where we prioritize fighters’ rights and offer compensation that reflects their true worth. »
https://talksport.com/sport/2035455/jake-paul-conor-mcgregor-michael-chandler-ufc/
