Jon Jones suggests the UFC would have treated Conor McGregor differently in pay row

The Twitter row over Jon Jones's disappointment with Dana White's cynical reaction to his demand for higher pay has taken a new turn. In a recent tweet, Jon Jones expressed that the UFC would have accepted the request if it came from Irish megastar Conor McGregor.

Jones claimed there would have been a 'whiskey night' if McGregor had sent the tweet asking for higher pay instead of him. He went on to add that the whole situation is a learning experience.

I tweeted show me the money and that evidently pissed off the boss. What a learning lesson. I feel like if Connor would’ve sent that same tweet there would have been whiskey night.

— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 31, 2021

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was expected to challenge the winner of Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2 for the heavyweight title.

Immediately after Ngannou's knockout win over Miocic at UFC 260 last weekend, Jones shared a tweet asking the UFC to raise his pay to fight the newly crowned UFC heavyweight champion.

Show me the money

— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 28, 2021

However, UFC president Dana White dismissed Jones's demand and even suggested it was an attempt to avoid a fight with the feared knockout artist, Francis Ngannou. Jones has attacked the UFC since the incident through a series of tweets that show no signs of stopping as of yet.

Everyone knows fighters don’t make anything close to what they actually bring in when they fight. I really don’t see what the big deal is paying your main event for one of the biggest possible fights ever. It’s not like I’ll be asking for my actual fair share

— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 31, 2021

Jon Jones's comparison with Conor McGregor is not far-fetched

Jon Jones's comparison with Conor McGregor might seem a little far-fetched as McGregor is the biggest pay-per-view star in the history of MMA. He has taken the sport to a whole different level in financial terms.

However, Bones' demand for higher pay is not completely unwarranted as he has achieved the heights of competitive brilliance that will take a long while to be replicated.

Jon Jones is the only fighter from the 'Golden Era' of the UFC that is still relevant in the title picture. During his tenure as UFC light heavyweight champion, titles have changed hands a combined 43 times in all other weight classes.

Jones has defeated three generations of fighters - a feat that no other fighter has achieved in the UFC so far.

MMA is an absolutely brutal sport and even more so for the absolute best fighters. A potential win over Francis Ngannou significantly extends Jon Jones's legacy in the sport. However, Jones will put his entire legacy on the line when he fights Ngannou in the first-ever heavyweight bout of his career.

I believe I was grossly underpaid throughout my entire 20s. I’m not even here bitching about that. I just want to see the future done right.

— BONY (@JonnyBones) March 31, 2021

If the high risk-to-reward ratio of fighting against a knockout artist like Ngannou is taken into account, Jones' demand for higher pay will be easier to understand.