Jake Paul calls on UFC to release Jon Jones, eyes Ngannou superfight

Jake Paul, the YouTube-turned-boxer and combat sports promoter, has called on the UFC to release Jon Jones from his contract so Paul can arrange a long-awaited showdown between Jones and Francis Ngannou — a fight the UFC has never been able to make.

MMA media outlets BJPenn.com and MMA News reported Tuesday that Paul took to social media to urge UFC CEO Dana White to cut Jones loose.

"Can Jon Jones not request his release like Shakur Stevenson did? That way we can make Jones vs. Ngannou," Paul said. "The UFC has already said they will never work with Ngannou again. So let Jones go and let us make the fight the fans want," he added.

Paul's reference to Stevenson was deliberate. Undefeated boxing champion Stevenson, 29, recently parted ways with White's Riyadh Season Boxing promotion and became a free agent. Stevenson had signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion in July but requested his release after scheduled bouts fell through, and the promotion agreed.

Ngannou responded to Paul's overture, writing: "Freedom is not free. It is not given — it is earned."

A Jones-Ngannou matchup has long been one of the most anticipated bouts in combat sports. Both men have held the UFC heavyweight title, but they have never met inside the octagon.

Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 after failing to reach a new contract agreement following his heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane in 2022. He has since pursued a professional boxing career and this year competed in a mixed martial arts event organized by MVP Promotions, the combat sports company Paul co-founded.

Jones's relationship with the UFC has also been rocky. After his scheduled appearance at UFC Freedom 250 this year fell through, he publicly called for his release. Tensions with White appeared to ease somewhat afterward, and Jones remains on the UFC's drug-testing roster. He has recently said a return to active competition is unlikely, though he has not ruled it out entirely.

White made clear last month that he has no intention of working with Ngannou again. That means the only realistic path to a Jones-Ngannou fight runs through Jones securing his release from the UFC and competing elsewhere. Whether Paul's public push will finally bring the long-stalled heavyweight superfight to fruition remains to be seen.