Jake Paul asks UFC to release Jon Jones for possible Francis Ngannou fight

Jake Paul has asked the UFC to release Jon Jones so his promotion can pursue a fight with Francis Ngannou, according to reports published on 20 October. Jones remains under UFC contract, making the proposed matchup dependent on a release that has not been announced.

In a post on X, Paul asked whether Jones could request a release like boxer Shakur Stevenson, who had left Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing. ‘So let Jon fly and we can give the fans what they want. Please and thank you,’ Paul wrote. He said the UFC had already ruled out working with Ngannou, describing the promotion’s position in his own words.

Why Jones’s UFC contract matters

Jones has not fought since beating Stipe Miocic in November 2024, talkSPORT reported. The outlet said Jones has suggested it is ‘very possible’ to leave his UFC contract and has raised the prospect of assembling a legal team. Bloody Elbow reported that his interest in leaving specifically to fight Ngannou is unclear.

Paul’s comparison followed Stevenson’s announcement that he had asked for and received his release from Zuffa Boxing. Bloody Elbow reported that Stevenson signed with White’s boxing promotion earlier this year but did not fight for it. His departure gave Paul a recent example to invoke, although Jones’s contract is with the UFC.

Jones and Ngannou respond to Paul’s proposal

Jones reposted Paul’s request, according to an SB Nation report republished by Yahoo Sports. Ngannou responded to Paul’s post: ‘Freedom isn't free; it's not given, but it's taken.’ Neither response announced an agreement for a fight, and the UFC has not announced Jones’s release.

Jones had also sought a fight with Alex Pereira and a place on the UFC’s White House card, but neither request was granted, SB Nation reported. Paul’s latest appeal leaves a possible Jones-Ngannou bout contingent on Jones being able to fight outside the UFC.