The noted YouTuber-boxer, Jake Paul, may have built a career out of beating retired UFC stars. But he also showcased that UFC fighters can make a lot more money if they decide to promote their fights. The noted American rapper, 50 Cent, had come up with a similar offer for the UFC icon, Khabib ‘The Eagle’ Nurmagomedov in 2018. The ’21 Questions’ rapper promised a huge amount of money to Khabib for fighting under him in Bellator MMA.
Dana White and Co. are no strangers to criticism regarding low fighter payouts. Some sources also say that about one-third of all the UFC fighters are underpaid. 50 Cent took a dig at this fact as well. An October 2018 post from the 48-year-old on ‘X’ (then Twitter) revealed that he was willing to pay “2 million cash” if ‘The Eagle’ agreed to fight for him under Bellator. The caption to his post read:
“I think it’s wrong what the UFC is doing to Khabib, they didn’t do the same thing to McGregor. I’ll pay 2 million cash tonight if he will fight for me at Bellator.”
I️ think it’s wrong what the UFC is doing to Khabib, they didn’t do the same thing to McGregor. I’ll pay 2 million cash tonight if he will fight for me at Bellator. pic.twitter.com/K7QYxR4IHI
— 50cent (@50cent) October 13, 2018
The rapper made this post after the coveted McGregor vs Nurmagomedov fight at UFC 229. Most fans may remember the absolute chaos that followed the UFC 229 main event. The Nevada State Athletic Commission imposed heavy fines on both fighters due to their misconduct. But they decided to release McGregor’s fight purse a lot earlier than Khabib’s earnings.
This is why 50 Cent voiced his opinion in Nurmagomedov’s favor. Most fans might say that was trying to make the most of Nurmagomedov’s frustration towards the UFC and get him signed under Bellator. However, he never succeeded. On the contrary, the UFC CEO, Dana White too, experienced a similar failure while dealing with Khabib.
Khabib Nurmagomedov turned down an insane offer for his return at UFC 300
Several recent reports talked about the UFC authorities planning to book Khabib Nurmagomedov for UFC 300. But it wasn’t the first time that the UFC head honcho had planned to get Nurmagomedov inside the octagon after his retirement in 2020.
‘The Eagle’s dear friend and former UFC champ-champ, Daniel Cormier, revealed that Dana White had offered Khabib an insane amount of money for his comeback previously as well. In one of his recent YouTube videos, ‘DC’ said Khabib had once revealed that he had received a “$40M” offer from Dana White for making a comeback. Still, he didn’t agree to it.
Who do you think the UFC wanted Khabib to fight? pic.twitter.com/gqMApHPKnU
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) January 18, 2024
Khabib’s coach, Javier Mendez, also gave out a similar take recently while talking about Khabib’s return for UFC 300. He debunked all the rumors talking about Nurmagomedov’s return. Hence, it’s quite apparent that ‘The Eagle’ isn’t returning to the cage anytime soon.