Daniel Cormier says Jon Jones doesn’t deserve Conor McGregor money

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier says that former rival Jon Jones doesn’t deserve Conor McGregor money when he fights Francis Ngannou.

Jones is hoping to fight Ngannou for the UFC heavyweight title sometime later this year, and reports have indicated he is asking upwards of $30 million for the fight. If you ask Cormier, however, that is too rich because it would be more than McGregor, the UFC’s biggest pay-per-view superstar. For DC, it doesn’t make sense that Jones should be paid more than McGregor. Speaking on the “DC and Helwani” podcast, Cormier suggested that Jones be paid in the $8 to $10 million dollar range to take on Ngannou instead.

“Does Jon Jones make what Khabib makes? If Khabib makes $8 million to $10 million, yes. But I don’t believe he should make what Conor McGregor makes. I do believe that Conor McGregor… there should be a difference in the pay scale because of what he has meant to the company,” Cormier said (h/t BloodyElbow). “But in the $8 million to $10 million range? I think that works. I believe with 100% certainty, (the UFC) would give (Jones) $10 million to show up and fight Francis Ngannou. I believe that. And that’s him getting his money. Because he’s never made $10 million before to show. He said he makes $5 million, right? So if he makes $5 million, then you’re doubling what he makes to go and fight Francis.”

Jones last month indicated that he had turned down the UFC’s “low” offer of $8 to $10 million for the fight with Ngannou, so while Cormier thinks it’s a fair price, Jones certainly doesn’t. At the same time, it appears as though Jones has priced himself out of the UFC’s price range for now, as the promotion appears to be going with Derrick Lewis vs. Ngannou.

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier that Jon Jones doesn’t deserve Conor McGregor money?