UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones walked into the UFC 309 fight as the heavy favorite to beat Stipe Miocic, and he did so by knocking out his rival in the very third round to retain his crown. After knocking out ‘Stone Cold’ in his usually stunning fashion, ‘Bones’ discussed his UFC future in the post-fight interview, where he revealed that he won’t be retiring from the sport.

And if it wasn’t a good enough reason for MMA fans, the UFC heavyweight champion also indicated that he may one day face Tom Aspinall. As he said, he needs to have some conversations with Dana White and Hunter Campbell, and they have some negotiating to do. If everything goes according to plan, they’ll give the fans the fight that they want to see. But what is this negotiation that he was talking about? Well, if you go by an interview before the fight, ‘Bones’ revealed that he wants a higher pay than what Dana White is offering at the moment.

In an earlier interview, Jon Jones claimed that he knows he is a high-caliber athlete, so now he wants his pay to be as high as what Jake Paul and Mike Tyson earned through their boxing bout. Jones said, “I know that Dana. He wants what he wants; he wants some big fights. And I just want to see if he’s willing to compensate me. You know what I mean. I see these guys out there making some really big bucks. You know – Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, and all that type of stuff.”

However, it seems like Dana White disagrees with the demands made by the UFC champion. In the post-event press conference, Dana White revealed that Jon Jones is already earning a massive sum in the UFC. As per the head honcho, there is no need for him to demand more than what ‘Bones’ is already earning. “Jon’s always been well compensated. You know, he’s always been well compensated. I would never put his total purse number out there, but it’s f***ing massive. The number that he went over tonight, he’s made a lot of money in his career. Listen, you don’t fight and disappear for five years because you weren’t well compensated. He makes a lot of money.”

The UFC always juggles between big fight and the economics behind making those fight happen. While the organization has been accused of short-changing some of its fighters, it doesn’t mean that its fighters charge little money—quite the opposite. This is more so if your name is Jon Jones and you are one of the best in history. In that context, after the fight that ‘Bones’ had at UFC 309 against Stipe Miocic, he must’ve secured one of the biggest purses of his entire career.

How much money did Jon Jones make at UFC 309?

According to estimated calculations, it was leaked that Jon Jones received a sum close to five million dollars. At some point it speculated that the amount would be about $15 million, however, it was far from the truth. The total profit does not amount to such high numbers in single-fighter pay. Meanwhile, it is being reported that Mike Tyson made a hefty $20 million, while YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul made $40 million as he revealed in an interview before the Netflix fight. “I’m here to make $40 million and knock out a legend.”

Jon Jones is one of the highest paid fighters in the UFC, second to only Conor McGregor. He made seven-figure salaries in both his bouts against Daniel Cormier, his second bout against Alexander Gustafsson, and in his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane. In the fight against ‘Bon Gamin’ at UFC 285, the heavyweight champion reportedly made $6.6 million, including his show money ($3 million), a potential bonus ($3 million), and over $600,000 in win and award bonuses. At this juncture, Jon Jones stirring the pot with fighter pay may allow other fighters to demand a higher pay, much like how Conor McGregor did in his rise to superstardom.

It’d be intriguing to watch what happens next for Jones. However, we will have to wait until at least 2025 to hear any updates regarding his next fight. The reality is that his appearances in the UFC Octagon are becoming increasingly rare, and as the end of his career approaches, every step ‘Bones’ takes will be critical to his future. In this context, with more than a million dollars in earnings built over so many years, ‘Bones’ will have to analyze what he wants for his career. What are your thoughts? Will Jones accept a title unification match with Tom Aspinall? Let us know in the comments.