The world of combat sports is no stranger to surprises, but few could have predicted the storm that hit after Jake Paul faced Mike Tyson. What was initially dismissed as a gimmick became a seismic moment in sports entertainment, leaving Dana White’s UFC 309, headlined by Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, in its shadow. How did a social media influencer and a boxing legend past his prime outshine the UFC’s marquee event?

According to a recent post shared on Reddit, it was revealed that the numbers on YouTube for both fights paint a clear picture. In the image, Jones’s fight against Stipe Miocic stood at 2 million views with the Tyson vs Paul fight eclipsing it with 29 million views. At the time of writing, the boxing match’s highlights have now been viewed over 32 million times on YouTube!

Jake Paul’s rise to fame has been as controversial as it is undeniable. From YouTube sensation to boxing disruptor, Paul has made a habit of rewriting the rules. Facing Mike Tyson—a name synonymous with boxing’s golden era—was a bold move. Tyson, at 58, was stepping into the ring decades past his prime. Critics called it a spectacle, fans called it entertaining, and the numbers? They spoke louder than any punch.

The Tyson-Paul bout pulled in more than $18 million in ticket revenue and is being reported to be the highest-grossing boxing gate outside the boundary of Las Vegas in history. The viewership numbers? According to Netflix, “Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson makes history with over 108 Million LIVE global viewers!” On the other hand, the UFC managed to draw in a live gate of $16,673,954 with an attendance of 20,200. But the fans had an interesting perspective on what caused the UFC to fall behind the boxing spectacle and here’s a look at what the netizens had to say.

Fans give their opinion on why Dana White and the UFC fell behind Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul  

One fan brought up an interesting point as they highlighted the fact that the boxing event, backed by Netflix, felt like a pop culture phenomenon. Bars and clubs buzzed with excitement, and social media exploded with reactions. Meanwhile, the UFC and Dana White catered to their loyal fan base, delivering thrilling fights but failing to capture the attention of the casual audience.

“my whole college town was packed and much more busy than usual just to watch the Jake fight. Bars and clubs were playing it. It’s actually really sad. I wish people would line up like that to watch actual boxing matches and UFC fights, not a geriatric Tyson fight a predatory vine star”

For others, it was Mike Tyson’s involvement that led to the massive amount of eyeballs on the spectacle that went down at the AT&T Arena. In fact, in an interview with Reuters in April during the build-up to the fight, Tyson had proclaimed, “Why [do] you think he wants to fight me and not anybody else? Everybody wants to fight him, all the boxers want to fight him. But, if he fought them, the only people that will come are the people that like him. The other guys, their parents might not even come watch them. That’s just keeping it real.”

“Now try it again without Tyson being involved.”

Another issue the fans brought up was the fact that the Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic bout had failed to capture the imagination of the MMA fans. While they were originally scheduled to clash at UFC 295, the fandom had to wait for a year as Jones recovered from a torn pectoral tendon. In the meanwhile, Tom Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title and the conversation in the MMA sphere ahead of UFC 309 was more about Jones ‘ducking’ the Brit rather than his fight against Miocic.

“Not even mma fans were interested in jones vs stipe let alone casual fans . The numbers you see in jones vs stipe are real mma fans and the numbers you are seeing on Jake vs Tyon are not boxing fans but people watching it for just the hype of the fight.”

A telling comment from one fan captured the divide as they pointed out that it’s impossible to draw people’s attention to a work of art while there is a loud and explosive “car crash” happening at the same time. Undefeated boxing star Terence Crawford summed up the Tyson vs Paul bout in a post on X where he stated, “I love Mike Tyson, but they giving him too much credit. He looked like trash, to train that long and only throw 97 punches the whole fight is crazy. I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt out there.”

“More people will look at a car crash than will a beautiful painting….”

Some argued it was the novelty factor. Jake Paul has a knack for creating drama, and Tyson is a legend with universal appeal. Combine that with Netflix’s global reach, and the result was a cultural phenomenon rather than just a boxing match. In contrast, Dana White’s UFC 309, while spectacular, lacked the crossover appeal. Hardcore fans tuned in, but the broader audience gravitated toward the spectacle.

“This was like a massive celebrity fight made free for everyone with Netflix…”

To wrap things up, it looks like the fans believe that Dana White and the UFC were left caught in the cultural tidal wave that was the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson bout. The contrast between these events is more than just numbers. It’s a clash of cultures—one prioritizing entertainment, the other honoring competition. Paul and Netflix delivered a “car crash” of intrigue, drawing attention for the spectacle’s sheer audacity. Meanwhile, UFC 309 stood as the “beautiful painting,” appreciated by purists but overlooked by the masses. Do you think this was a wake-up call for the UFC or was the Tyson vs. Paul bout a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that will never be repeated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!