Jon Jones Calls Out UFC for 'Ripping Me Off,' Says Dana White Is 'Greedy'

UFC star Jon Jones unloaded his longstanding frustration with his past paydays from the company, claiming it didn't provide a level of adequate compensation.

Jones and UFC President Dana White remain at odds as to the dollar figure Jones would receive for his next fight. White told ESPN's Brett Okamoto on May 28 the light heavyweight champion "couldn't be asking for a more absurd amount of money at a worse time."

Meanwhile, it appears Jones is prepared to voluntarily surrender his light heavyweight title as part of the ongoing disagreement. The 32-year-old took to Twitter Monday to provide more context from his side as to why he's drawing a line in the sand (warning: first tweet contains profanity):

Jones' position is understandable. He's one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in UFC history, and given his age, he should try to maximize his current earning power. He's not old by any stretch, but combat sports are unforgiving. The general perception around his status could change drastically based on the results of a few fights.

The general sentiment behind Jones' tweets echoes the thoughts of some of his colleagues as well.

During his press conference after UFC on ESPN 9 on May 30, White alluded to how he believes Jones sabotaged himself to some extent, though, per MMA Junkie's Nolan King and John Morgan:

"I'm always looking at what Jon Jones could've been. He could have been the LeBron [James] of this sport. He could have been that big. The stuff that's he been through, to show up and think he basically [demanded] $15 million, or $20 million, or $30 million, it's crazy. He can do whatever he wants to do. He can sit out. He can fight. He can do whatever."

Jones has been flagged for multiple positive drug tests, the last of which resulted in a 15-month suspension in September 2018 that was retroactive to July 2017.

He also pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in May 2012 and leaving the scene of an accident in September 2015. He pleaded guilty to DWI again in March as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.