Today marks one week to the day since we ran a story about Dana White vowing to never speak about Jake Paul again. In contrast, “The Problem Child” has ramped up his side of the feud to new levels.
Friday morning, Paul released a rap song where he relentlessly roasts Dana White for over two minutes, and a few UFC stars were targeted as well.
The video begins with “Dana White” and UFC executives pressuring a fighter played by Cris Cyborg to sign a three-fight contract worth $12,000 a fight. When the fighter asks about long-term health care, “White” snaps, “Don’t worry about that right now! Just sign on the dotted line or no one’s gonna know who you are.”
At this point, Paul and his entourage crash the signing, and the YouTuber cracks “White” with a baseball bat. The music video then commences.
Jake Paul Targets White & Three Big UFC Stars In Diss Track
The biggest themes of the video are the UFC’s mistreatment of fighters, Dana White’s greed, and a wide-scale roasting of the UFC president in general.
There were also some shrapnel that fell on UFC stars Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and Conor McGregor, three names that Paul has lobbied for fights against in the past. Here what he had to say about each fighter.
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal, Credit: Esther Lin, MMA Fighting
“First of all, Masvidal, you ain’t rich. 50 fights for 5 mill’ that ain’t shit.”
Nate Diaz
“I like havin money conversations. All that little Stockton shit is cool, but that lisp got me thinking Diaz speak a different language.”
Conor McGregor
(via John Locher/AP)
“McGregor, I ain’t seen you win in five years. You rich little weirdo, ugly ass veneers. Took so many losses wounded up at VMAs, tryna fight with MGK, no surprise here.
Lamborghini boat but your career is sinkin’. Really got me wondering what Dee is thinkin’. I ain’t even dissin now I’m really speaking. Wounded up in jail too many times with all dat liquor drinkin’.”
Vitor Belfort has his eyes on Tommy Fury next time out.
Belfort is set to return at Triller Triad Combat 2 on February 26 against Chad Dawson. The former UFC champion is coming off the TKO win over Evander Holyfield in an exhibition bout in Triller Fight Club Legends 2 back in September.
Now, even before he returns against Dawson, Belfort has his eyes on Fury and wants that fight next. He believes it makes sense as he doesn’t think the Brit should be focused on fighting Jake Paul. Instead, Belfort says Fury should want to face a real fighter.
“I will fight him anytime,” Belfort told theScore. “Tommy Fury, it’s a shame you were going to fight Jake Paul. Fighting a YouTuber is a shame. (Paul) is a piece of shit. Not as a person —as a fighter. Tommy Fury, I’m up to the challenge,” he continued. “Let’s make this duel.”
Fury, of course, was scheduled to fight Paul in the main event of a Showtime boxing pay-per-view card in December. However, the undefeated boxer was forced out of the bout with broken ribs and an infection.
Since he pulled out, Tommy Fury campaigned to get the fight rebooked, but Belfort clearly hopes that doesn’t happen. Although Belfort is a former UFC champion, Fury would get more eyes on him if he were to box Paul and defeat him. It would also be a bigger payday for the Brit.
At this time, it does seem unlikely Fury would box Belfort, as the Brazilian has his own fight on February 26. Should he win, then perhaps it might make sense, but Fury has yet to respond.
What do you make of Vitor Belfort calling out Tommy Fury and who do you think would win a fight between the two?
Claressa Shields is out to remind the boxing world who she believes is the best female boxer in the sport after her recent MMA fights.
Despite signing with PFL, Shields has remained adamant that she intends to fight in both boxing and MMA going forward. Her debut season in the league featured a mixed bag, with a comeback win over Brittney Elkin followed up by a decision loss to Abigail Montes.
Shields will now face Ema Kozin as she defends her WBC, WBA, and IBF middleweight world titles in her U.K. debut. During a recent media appearance in Detroit, she reiterated her intentions to show boxing fans how great she is in the ring.
“The boxing world has forgotten who the best female fighter is since I’ve been doing MMA,” Shields said. “The other girls like Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have been showcasing some great skills, but I’m planning to showcase even better skills in my fight on February 5. I’m looking forward to coming back and showcasing my skills. In my last fight, I was coming off over a year layoff and I didn’t perform how I wanted to. When I watch back the film, I wasn’t sharp. I didn’t have the speed and the timing that I normally have.” (h/t 15Rounds.com)
During Shields’ absence from boxing, fighters such as Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor have risen to the top of the pound-for-pound discussion. A fight between Serrano and Taylor is expected to happen next in arguably the best fight in women’s boxing history.
What are your thoughts on Claressa Shields’ MMA future?
Tyron Woodley has opened up on his decision to post the meme challenge following his KO loss to Jake Paul.
Back in December in their rematch, Woodley suffered a vicious KO loss to Paul in the sixth round. The former UFC champion was out cold and after the loss, he took to Instagram to offer a $5,000 payout to whichever fan could create the funniest meme of his knockout.
Woodley then posted the winner and seemed to enjoy the process. Now, he has explained why he decided to do it.
Paul/Woodley 2 Post-Fight Presser
“It was one of the worst mistakes I ever made in a fight. But at the same token, had I not dropped that hand, had I continued to fight the way it was going, we’da been looking at something different,” Woodley said on The MMA Hour. “So I gotta just take the bitter with the sweet and just keep moving.
“That’s why I did that challenge, you know what I mean? I’m not finna let the motherfuckin’ internet or nobody else make me crawl up in a shell and not come outside, not post, or not say nothing for three, four, five, six months. I can’t afford to do that. I got too much shit that was coming out before this fight even happened to even let a pause. So that’s why I did the challenge.”
Although Tyron Woodley created the meme challenge, he does admit the loss still hurt him. However, he is focused on fighting a few times in 2022 and eyes a March return in boxing before he goes back into MMA. When and who Woodley will fight in his return is uncertain. However, he has been linked to a bout with Dan Hardy in the past.
Looking back on the Paul fight, Woodley has made the decision not to allow anyone to define the experience he had leading into and on the night of December 18. The creation of the meme contests helped Woodley take control of the narrative.
“I won’t allow people to take away the fact that, one, I stepped up when nobody really was available. I was in shape. I was prepared. I was ready. I won every round—I think he might have won the second round when I looked back at the fight. I won every round, even was winning that round up until that one moment. So I won’t let my hand dropping for one second and him perfectly timing a punch at the same time make me completely take away everything that happened,” Woodley said.
What do you make of Tyron Woodley creating the meme challenge?
Tyron Woodley is firing back at the people hating on his loss to Jake Paul.
It’s been just over a month since Tyron Woodley was knocked out by Jake Paul in their second fight against each other. Woodley has been catching some heat from haters and people online since the loss. Woodley has some words for those who are criticizing his loss and, in turn, is giving some credit to Paul.
“And a lot of people are saying that, ‘Aw, you lost to him again! Aw, you got knocked out!’ He would literally fuck a lot of y’all up, like MMA fighters and other people that are just bumping at the gums, he’s an athletic kid that don’t have no job beyond this,” Woodley told MMA Fighting. “He don’t have no kids. He don’t have no business running. He can have the best trainer, the best coaches, the best nutrition, the most focus. He can separate himself.”
Woodley was a last-minute replacement this time around when Paul’s original opponent, Tommy Fury, dropped out. Woodley first faced Paul in August and lost that fight by decision. In his second attempt, Woodley was vocally more confident that he could defeat Paul, however, he was mistaken. Woodley is now giving Paul the credit he deserves.
Now that Woodley and Paul have run their course fighting each other, “The Chosen One” is not ready to just sit down and retired from boxing. One rumored possibility for his next opponent is fellow UFC alum Dan Hardy.
As for Paul, he is still moving forward with his boxing career after winning an award for “Breakout Boxer of the Year”. He was recently rumored to be fighting with Mike Tyson, but Tyson shot those rumblings down instantly. Paul has also been hinting at a move to MMA. If he does follow through with that plan perhaps he might consider giving Woodley another shot.
Do you think you personally could beat Jake Paul in a boxing match?
UFC President Dana White says he’d never fault YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul or anybody for that matter for trying to earn money.
In a short space of time, Paul has grown from an internet celebrity trying his hand at boxing against other online stars to a professional pugilist knocking out former MMA champions.
Whether you admire his presence and growth in the sport or see him as a disturbance, no one can deny the rapid rise “The Problem Child” has made into the combat sports mainstream.
Having fought and finished fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul turned his attention to mixed martial artists.
In three 2021 bouts, he knocked out former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren and defeated former 170-pound UFC titleholder Tyron Woodley twice, once on the scorecards and once with a brutal KO.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp11JYOGY4/
In his quest for more eyeballs, bigger paychecks, and, if you believe it to be genuine, better pay for fighters, Paul has consistently called out and berated Dana White, the leading man for the world’s premier MMA promotion.
Despite all that, and in spite of his responses and accusations of steroid usage directed at the Cleveland native, White maintains that he doesn’t actually hate Paul. Instead, the 52-year-old sees “The Problem Child” as a kid who is simply “doing his thing” and making money, something White says he’d never criticize.
“He really hasn’t been a thorn in my side. I don’t hate the guy like people think I hate him,” White told Manouk Akopyan. “You know, he’s out there doing his thing. He’s a young guy who’s got a fanbase and is trying to make some money. I don’t ever fault anybody for that.”
Nevertheless, White has appeared unlikely to ever consider doing business with the 25-year-old star.
But citing the blockbuster ‘Money Fight’ between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in 2017 as an example of fan demand pushing him into the crossover market, the UFC kingpin hinted he’d be open to joining the ongoing surge in crossover bouts if the desire for him to do so reaches a similar level to what it did four years ago.
“It’s a tough one. Obviously, when there’s this underground swell from the fans and the media and the thing builds up into something like Mayweather vs. McGregor was, you know, you saw how that worked out, I ended up doing it,” added White. “But I haven’t seen anything that big and that crazy since… If there’s a fight that could be made with some of this other stuff that’s that big that my fans really wanna see it, I usually do it.”
Year 25 goals:
1) Get better every single day & enjoy every moment doing it
While White continues to put together and host weekly fight cards, Paul will seemingly continue his unbeaten venture into the squared circle, with UFC stars Nate Diaz and Masvidal on his radar.
Should Paul continue to gain momentum and popularity in the combat sports realm, perhaps we’ll eventually see him enter the Octagon or do business in some way or another with White.
Can you picture Dana White ever doing business with Jake Paul?
Now, just recently, UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou said he wouldn’t fight for the UFC again on his current contract.
“No, I will not fight for $500,000, $600,000 anymore,” Ngannou said to ESPN. “I mean, it’s over. It’s over. I just did this. I took this fight for a personal reason, and I want to make sure that regardless, even if it’s unfair, I have been wrongly treated, I can make my case to say I have completed the eight fights. But no.”
To no surprise, that got the attention of Jake Paul who took to social media to let Dana White know he is working on something big.
give this man what he wants Dana. such a fucked up company to be apart of… I got something coming soon… https://t.co/nYIiEyJAlr
“give this man what he wants Dana. such a f****d company to be apart of… I got something coming soon,” Paul wrote on social media.
Although many MMA fighters have criticized Jake Paul, he has been vocal in wanting to help fighters get paid more. He donated to former UFC fighter, Sarah Alpar’s GoFundMe to help with her training.
Paul has also offered to retire from boxing and take an MMA fight in the UFC if White ups the minimum amount of pay to $50,000 a fight. However, that still has not happened, so by all outward appearances, the YouTuber-turned-boxer will continue to be an advocate for fighter pay in an attempt to get UFC fighters to make more money.
Jake Paul is coming off a sixth-round KO win over Tyron Woodley back in December, which improved his record to 5-0.
What do you make of Jake Paul being an advocate for fighter pay?
If you’re interested in seeing a boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, don’t get too excited.
The boxing legend recently took to social media to deny reports of a potential fight between them. Tyson took to Twitter on Monday in response to a report, stating that he didn’t even know about this matchup. He also claimed he recently saw Paul in person and that discussions of a fight didn’t come up.
This is new to me. I saw Jake in St. Barths and he never mentioned it. https://t.co/eL01HDMdmr
“This is [fight] new to me,” said Tyson on social media. “I saw Jake in St. Barths and he never mentioned it.”
Tyson was replying to a report released earlier today by The Sun Online that stated Tyson and Paul had verbally agreed to fight
Jake Paul is coming off an active 2021 campaign. First, he knocked out Ben Askren in April before fighting Tyron Woodley twice before the close of the year. First, he defeated Woodley via split decision in August. Then, he knocked out the former UFC champion on December 18.
Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley, Credit: AP Photo
Earlier boxing appearances saw him knock out former NBA player Nate Robinson in November 2020 and another KO win over YouTuber AnEsonGib in January of the same year.
Tyson, a former heavyweight prizefighter with a decorated record, last fought as a pro in 2005. However, he made his return to action in 2020, fighting fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition contest. The fight didn’t count towards either fighter’s pro records, but was scored a draw after eight rounds of action.
After the fight, Tyson mentioned his plans to keep his fighting career going.
Tyson, now 55 years old, is best recognized for his run as a heavyweight champion in the 1980s and 1990s.
Do you see a fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson as plausible?
With Fury being out, Paul then rematched Tyron Woodley who he subsequently knocked out in the sixth round. Since then, Tommy Fury has made it clear he wants that fight back and says the ball is in Jake Paul’s court to make it happen.
“Make no mistake, that’s the fight I want next and I’ll always be checking in with my team every day to see where we’re up to with that,” Fury said on The MMA Hour. “But there comes a time where I have my own career. My goal still doesn’t change. My goal is to be a champion in this sport and, believe it or not, fighting Jake Paul doesn’t give me that at all. Fighting Jake Paul will never make me a champion in boxing. So, Jake Paul, yeah it’s a great fight, it’s a big fight, but it doesn’t really make me achieve my dreams.
Jake Paul, Tommy Fury (Image Credits: Mike Ehrmann/Jason Miller/Getty Images)
“So at the end of the day, I’ll wait for a certain amount of time. I’m trying my best to get this fight back on track,” Fury continued. “You talk to anybody, this is the fight I wan. I’ll wait for him an amount of time, it comes off, great, if it doesn’t, I will resume my career and start winning some titles. That’s just the way life is.
“The ball is in Jake Paul’s court now. I’m doing everything I can with my team to get this fight rescheduled.”
Jake Paul had said he wanted to take some time off after his last win so whether or not the Tommy Fury fight will be rescheduled is uncertain. If it isn’t, the 7-0 boxer in Fury will look to make his return in the spring as he looks to eventually become a world champion.
Do you think we will see Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury next?
Francis Ngannou’s dreams of becoming a boxer might be over before they began.
Francis Ngannou is just one of the UFC fighters who are looking to make some extra money by trying their hand at boxing. The road paved by Jake Paul has given former UFC fighters a chance to make a huge paycheck in a “celebrity” style boxing match. Ngannou has been toying with this idea himself and has been asking for a shot at Tyson Fury.
One man who is not so sure of Ngannou’s chances against “The Gypsy King” is his former coach Fernand Lopez.
“I think the fight makes sense for Francis because he thinks he can cash out. There’s also something there for Tyson Fury, he doesn’t care that it’s not a competitive fight, he just wants to make money and make some news,” Lopez told The Mac Life. “It would take at least three years for Francis Ngannou to be competitive from a boxing standpoint with Tyson Fury, and I mean three years only dedicated to boxing. Realistically, he would have to stop everything else and probably do nothing else for three years, only boxing. No grappling, nothing else. The way that his body and muscles are built, it will not allow him to keep throwing punches after the third round.”
Ngannou is known for his power in the UFC heavyweight division. Who can forget when he sent Alistair Overeem into the shadow realm at UFC 218, but can his power translate over to the squared circle? Lopez thinks not.
“I’m not sure Francis can ever challenge the stamina or endurance of Tyson Fury,” Lopez said. “All he can do is have a high defense; be elusive, close footwork, change direction. But eventually, Tyson will wear him down, get him tired, work the body and then go up with the uppercut, and sooner or later Francis will give up because of the volume, because of the pressure shots and he will just go down.
Francis Ngannou
“I don’t see how he can win the match. This is an opportunity for him to cash out. I’m not sure if you’re a UFC fighter it’s worth letting it all go and have three years boxing training–how would you live your life, what would be your income? And after three years, you may be competitive enough to stand there and keep throwing punches.”
Lopez was Ngannou’s first MMA coach in France. He led him to the UFC and saw him rise up the ranks. However, the two have since had a falling out and Lopez is now the head coach of Ngannou’s upcoming opponent Ciryl Gane. Having trained Ngannou for years, Lopez thinks he knows what to expect in the main event of UFC 270. He and Gane are preparing for Ngannou and all of his strengths and weaknesses.
“We are not expecting anything brilliant, Francis is not a boxer,” Lopez said. “You train a lot to be a boxer. Boxing needs dedication, boxing needs sacrifice, you need years and years to train. So we know the outcome of that fight. The question is how much Francis Ngannou can cash out, because he only has one shot. Because objectively speaking, he cannot think about having a boxing career because his boxing skill will not be enough for him to become a boxer.”
Do you think Francis Ngannou would have what it takes to succeed at boxing?
Former UFC star Chael Sonnen thinks he has the recipe for Tommy Fury to get his long-awaited fight with Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
Fury was supposed to face Paul just last month before he had to pull out due to an injury. Paul ended up knocking out Tyron Woodley in the sixth round on short notice.
Paul has appeared to take his attention away from rescheduling a fight with Fury and is instead interested in a fight with Julio César Chávez Jr. Fury is anticipating a return to the ring as soon as March and is hopeful the two sides can agree on a bout in 2022.
Sonnen is a bit more optimistic regarding Fury’s chances at getting a Paul fight booked. During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, he detailed how Fury can earn the attention of Paul and get the fight he wants.
“You wanna know a fight that would work throw Tommy Fury in there with Tyron Woodley,” Sonnen said. “If Tommy can show that he can handle himself with Tyron, then Tommy will belong in there with Jake afterward. The problem with doing that is that Tommy can’t beat Tyron Woodley.
“Tommy would not beat Tyron and if Tommy wouldn’t show up to face Jake because of the pressures that came with that, then it’s going to be even more pressure to fight a guy who Jake has beaten twice. And he wouldn’t show up for that trust me!” (h/t Mirror)
Woodley has alluded to an active 2022, regardless of how his last fight with Paul resulted. Fury is undefeated in his young boxing career despite a questionable run of opponents on his record.
Fury and Woodley don’t seem to have any beef between the two of them, which could potentially make it a hard fight to sell. However, a Fury victory could certainly get the attention necessary for a possible fight with Paul shortly.
After Fury suffered a chest infection and an injured rib, it was believed that he could be sidelined from the ring for a while. Despite this, he’s anticipating a profound return to the ring in hopes of making a Paul fight come to fruition.
The polarizing YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul is moving on from the idea of a Tommy Fury fight as he turns his attention to Julio César Chávez Jr.
There had been reports of Paul being interested in fighting Chávez Jr. since days after his Tyron Woodley rematch, and Chávez Jr. has also discussed the potential bout. Paul was originally supposed to face Tommy Fury instead of Woodley, but Fury pulled out of the fight roughly two weeks prior to the event.
During a recent interview on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast, Paul confirmed his interest in a possible matchup with Chávez Jr. for his next challenge in the ring instead of rescheduling the Fury Fight.
“It’s interesting. I like that fight a lot, because it silences the critics,” Paul said.
“He was a former world champion, and I know I could beat him. And you look at his record, it’s like 50 wins or something, and I don’t even know the losses, but it’s a good record. So that challenge excites me and I’m down.
“And this is what people don’t understand is that, even after I knocked out Woodley, they were all like, ‘Fight a real boxer.’
“I’m like, ‘You guys, I tried, and he dropped out of the fight two weeks before.’ So I want to fight a real boxer, newsflash, and I’m going to. Just have some f*cking patience.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Jake Paul Has Hinted At Taking Time Off From Boxing
Despite speculation running rampant regarding Paul’s next fight, he has alluded to taking some time off from the ring after a busy 2021. Paul earned a vicious knockout over Ben Askren before back-to-back wins over Woodley.
Paul first hinted at taking time off from the ring after his split-decision win over Woodley last August. However, his interest in fighting Chavez Jr. may lure him back to the fight game sooner than expected.
Paul has remained active in the gym and on social media, as shown in recent footage of him practicing leg kicks in a teased move to MMA. Fans and critics of Paul have called for him to face a true boxer over the past year, and it sounds like it could be close to happening.
UK professional boxer Tommy Fury is looking to re-arrange his grudge match with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, and says he’s “ready to go” in March.
Right now, fans and pundits should be discussing the result and fallout of December 18’s Fury vs. Paul clash. Instead, they’ve been left wondering whether we’ll see the fight at all.
With his second win against “The Chosen One” and his callouts since, it remains to be seen whether we’ll see Paul settle his differences with Fury inside the squared circle. One thing that’s certain: the English party wants the fight booked.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Fury stated there’s “unfinished business” between himself and the YouTuber-turned-boxer. He then provided an update on his recovery, claiming he’ll be ready to throw hands with Paul as soon as March.
“There is unfinished business here, and this fight has to take place,” said Fury. “My recovery process is going amazing. I’ve got another MRI booked in for the middle of this month to see where the rib is. Once I get confirmation that it’s healing or it’s healed, or whatever I’m up to, then I’ll return back to the gym and I’ll be ready to go.
“I said in a recent interview, I’ll be ready to go in March,” Fury added. “If Jake Paul really is serious about boxing, I’m ready to go in March. What happened in December was out of my hands, but March, I’m ready.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp11JYOGY4/
In Fury’s absence, Paul brutally knocked out Woodley in Florida. While the win didn’t legitimize his presence in the ring as much as a victory over Fury would have, it certainly went some lengths to doing so.
Jake Paul has responded to claims that his sixth-round KO over Tyron Woodley was lucky.
In the rematch, both Paul and Woodley hesitant were to throw much volume but in the sixth round, Paul landed a vicious right hand that put Woodley out cold. Although many were critical of his performance, according to “The Problem Child,” he was setting up that shot the entire fight.
“I’ve done that to every single person that I’ve fought,” Paul said during an episode of Boxing with Chris Mannix as a rebuttal to those who claim the punch was lucky. “So it’s not like I’ve knocked out everyone in a violent fashion in one way or another. My power is only increasing, and I set up the shot, you watch the whole sequence.
“I think I see his hand come flying down, I think again, go to the body, and then bring it up top with all my power and brought my hips through,” Paul continued. “It’s not lucky, look at all the people that Tyron Woodley has been in there with, and he’s never been KO’d like that.”
Jake Paul, Image Credit: (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
With the KO win over Tyron Woodley, Jake Paul improved to 5-0 and continues to be a big name in boxing. However, after his last win, he said he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. Who he fights in his return is uncertain.
Regardless, Jake Paul is still set on continuing his boxing career following his violent KO win over Woodley in December. The fight also marked the end of his two-fight Showtime deal.
Do you think Jake Paul’s KO win over Tyron Woodley was lucky?
Former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm appears to be flirting with a potential return to boxing.
Holm hasn’t competed since October 2020, when she earned a dominant win over Irene Aldana. Before that, she had earned a decision win over Raquel Pennington at UFC 246.
Holm was supposed to face Norma Dumont in a featherweight bout last year but had to withdraw after suffering a knee injury in training. She was replaced on just days’ notice by Aspen Ladd, who would go on to lose to Dumont decisively.
Despite being right in the thick of things in the UFC title picture at bantamweight and featherweight, Holm isn’t ruling out a return to her roots in the boxing ring. During a recent interview with FightHype.com, she described her possible motivation for returning to the ‘sweet science.’
“I miss boxing,” Holm said. “it’s always going to be a part of my heart and so you never know. You know maybe I will go back and a lot of these people are going also. A lot of fighters are trying to go back and forth and nobody is doing it successfully.
“Not a lot of people can do it successfully but I can. I know I can, I know I can go back to boxing and still be a champion.” (h/t EssentiallySports)
Holly Holm Earned Multiple World Titles In Boxing
Before making the full-time transition to MMA, Holm had been regarded as arguably the top female boxer in the world. She successfully defended her belts a total of 16 times in three different weight classes.
After retaining her IBA and WBF light-welterweight titles, Holm went on a run to the UFC bantamweight belt. She would go on to eventually pull off one of the greatest upsets in UFC history over Ronda Rousey at UFC 193.
It’s unclear when Holm will eventually return to the Octagon, but it appears that all options are on the table for her combat sports career. She still seems intent on challenging for the UFC title once again.
How do you think Holly Holm would fare against some of the top female boxers today?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling likes Jake Paul’s chances in a hypothetical boxing match against MMA legend Anderson Silva.
Paul wrapped up his impressive run in 2021 with back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. An undefeated boxer, Paul was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury before Fury pulled out with an injury.
Speculation has run rampant regarding who Paul could face next in the boxing ring. One of the names that has come up is Silva, who was allegedly in brief talks to fight Jake’s brother Logan before negotiations stalled.
“I know Anderson Silva was supposedly a frontrunner to fight Jake,” Sterling said. “If Jake were to connect, I think he would really hurt Anderson. I think Paul is going to tie him up, lean on him. He’s a young guy, he’s going to grab him. Against Woodley, he clinched 30 times over the first five rounds. With this one, Silva’s got hands. But the only thing is, can he take a shot?”
Following his latest knockout win over Woodley, Paul alluded to taking some time away from the boxing spotlight. He’s allegedly anticipating a return to the ring this summer, although a scheduled fight earlier is certainly possible.
Silva most recently defeated former UFC colleague Tito Ortiz in a first-round knockout. Before that, he had defeated Julio César Chávez in an impressive decision victory.
Silva has vocalized his interest in boxing the Paul brothers at some point, although it’s unclear if a fight between the two sides will come to fruition. He’s also hinted at a potential boxing rematch against Vitor Belfort.
Paul seems determined to continue to fight MMA stars, including Nate Diaz and Conor Mcgregor. However, Silva could be a name to watch for a potential bout in 2022.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling? Would Jake Paul “hurt” Anderson Silva in a boxing match?
Tommy Fury’s decision to pull out of his originally scheduled fight with Jake Paul was more difficult to make than most were poised to believe.
Fury defeated Anthony Taylor on the first Paul vs. Tyron Woodley card in 2021 before agreeing to a fight with Paul next. The buildup to the Fury vs. Paul fight began backstage in Cleveland when their respective teams nearly came to blows.
The fight was expected to be a true test for Paul, who arguably hasn’t faced a true boxer in his young fighting career. Just weeks before the event, Fury withdrew due to a chest infection and rib injury.
“When I made the call, to call this fight off, me and my team, that was probably the darkest days that I’ve had in my life so far,” Fury said. “Because when you train as a kid for that particular night, you know, the big headlining show in Florida, in America, streamed all over the world, that’s the moment you train for all your life.
When it gets ripped away from you through no fault of your own really, it’s devastating. That was the darkest time of my life.
“But I’ve said to myself I’m not gonna let that carry on into next year. This year is all about positivity. I’m leaving all those setbacks in 2021.”
Tommy Fury Still Thinks Jake Paul Rescheduled Bout Is Fight To Make
Paul won back-to-back fights over Woodley in 2021. Before that, he earned a vicious first-round knockout over former UFC fighter Ben Askren. Both he and Fury are undefeated in their young boxing tenures.
Tommy, the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has been tabbed as a legitimate boxing prospect in recent years. But despite his flawless record, his strength of competition hasn’t exactly been stellar, with many of his opponents having abysmal records.
It’s unclear whether or not Fury vs. Paul will happen next, as Paul has alluded to taking some time off and returning in the summer. In the meantime, Fury sounds hellbent on getting the fight rescheduled and settling their beef inside the ring.
How do you think a Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight plays out?
Junior dos Santos is ecstatic to get in the ring with vicious European boxer Kubrat Pulev for his debut boxing match.
Although the former UFC heavyweight champion dos Santos ended his contract with the UFC on a four-fight loss streak in March 2021, his love for the sport of fighting remains intact.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
However, fans of Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos are worried the fighter might be biting off a bit more than he can chew. His very first opponent, Kubrat “Cobra” Pulev, holds a professional boxing record of 28 wins and 2 losses, was the European heavyweight champion twice between 2012 and 2016, and recently destroyed mixed martial artist Frank Mir by first-round TKO at the first Triller Triad event.
In a recent interview with ESPN, dos Santos expressed his gratitude for the fans’ concern but has a message for them:
“Well, for all of those, I (know there will be) some bad comments but also some comments coming from people that believe in me and support me. And like you said, they will be worried about me, you know? But I appreciate that. Thank you for the comments and for the worry. But you know what? This time, I took to myself and to my family to think about everything, decide what to do. Man, I’m 37 years old now, and I was feeling like—I was thinking about stopping. Maybe it’s not for me anymore. But that’s not my truth.”
Despite the defeats and controversial departure from the UFC, “Cigano” is happy and doing what he loves. Now that the spark of joy is once again within him, we could see an improved version of dos Santos when he steps in the ring.
Goodbye UFC, Hello Triller Triad
The end of February marks the beginning of Junior dos Santos’ boxing career with Triller at Triad Combat II.
dos Santos wants fans to understand that his exit from the UFC was crucial. The fighter blames the promotion’s “unprofessionalism” for hindering his success within the platform but does not allow the situation to negatively impact his goals.
“My truth is I love this thing, and I still can do it. I’m 37 years old, like I said. If you go to the gym and see me training, man, I’m getting better, with some great skills every time. So the moments I was going through right now in the UFC, that’s not me. This fight now will show all those people, all the people that support or those who doesn’t support, this fight will show everybody who I am for real,” he continued in the interview with ESPN.
Lest we forget dos Santos has wins against Derrick Lewis and Stipe Miocic, two renowned names in the heavyweight division, in his MMA career. Now, it will be former heavyweight champion vs former heavyweight champion when dos Santos’ boxing debut commences.
Are you excited to see Junior dos Santos’ boxing debut?
Jake Paul has dropped a pair of hints that suggest he is preparing to make a jump over to MMA.
Jake Paul has been linked to MMA arguably more than any boxer in history. Between the handpicked MMA opponents, the feud with the biggest promoter in the sport, and the neverending banter with MMA fighters on social media, Paul has remained a steady presence in MMA headlines.
Today’s Jake Paul/MMA story isn’t about callouts, trash-talking, or even another round of commentary about UFC fighter pay. It’s about Paul appearing to take the first steps to now become the cross-over athlete himself with a potential move to MMA.
Friday, Paul released the following tweet that showed himself training kicks for the first time.
“1st day training kicks. Doubted every step of the way.. but kick down the doors of the doubters. @bellatormma@pflmma.”
What’s every bit as noteworthy as Paul revealing that he’s training leg kicks is the fact that he went out of his way to tag Bellator’s and PFL’s Twitter handles, hinting that these could be where he ultimately takes his finished MMA product if and when it’s ready for presentation.
Scott Coker has already confirmed that he would be more than happy to welcome Paul into the Bellator fold with open arms. And Friday night, an unconfirmed report began to circulate that Paul is in talks to sign with the PFL. Conspicuously absent from Paul’s tag roster is the UFC. This no doubt is mostly because of the YouTuber’s contentious relationship with company president Dana White.
However, over the past week, Paul did state that he would be open to an MMA fight against Jorge Masvidal if White provided better pay and benefits to UFC fighters. As expected, White did not comply, which leaves a Jake Paul/UFC partnership just as unlikely today as it’s been over the entire past year.
As her ongoing feud with Jake Paul continues, Claressa Shields has denied having knowledge of her manager’s apparent pursuit to get her onto the YouTuber’s cards.
The rivalry picked up when Paul chose to mock Shields following her first professional loss in combat sports last October. Having won her MMA debut with a memorable comeback, Shields was unable to overcome her ground deficiencies when she met Abigail Montes at the 2021 PFL Finale.
Abigail Montes, Claressa Shields, Jake Paul
After “The Problem Child” branded Shields a “loser” for her two-fight MMA career and attitude, the two-time Olympic gold medalist hit back on Twitter.
😂 this is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life https://t.co/V6TpqSNkQW
“This is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life.”
Fast forward just over a month of further exchanges and Paul’s management team BAVAFA Sports made a surprising claim. In their own social media post, they suggested Shields’ team had been trying to get onto the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s cards, a sentiment shared by Paul to USA Today Sports+.
“We didn’t want her on for many different reasons. She took that to heart,” claimed Paul.
What’s hilarious is the multiple times you and your team tried to be a part of a Jake Paul event. Time reveals all. #Receipts
Unsurprisingly, Shields wasn’t about to let her reputation be damaged without a fight. In a Twitter rant, the 26-year-old threatened to sue Paul and his team for defamation.
@BAVAFASports y’all bout to get sued! Because Claressa Shields ain’t never asked to be on Jake Paul undercard. You sound crazy as hell! My lawyer will be reaching out though! Use my name for clout. I’ll use your name for a check 💰 losers
In the tweet from Jake Paul’s management team, they hinted at having “receipts” that supported their claims. In leaked emails obtained by USA Today Sports+, that evidence has now come to light, and it makes for pretty grim reading for Shields and her team.
In correspondences sent to Paul’s manager Nakisa Bidarian by Shields’ manager Mark Taffet and promoter Dmitry Salita, the boxing champion’s team apparently pushed to get their client on two cards that featured Paul.
Per USA Today Sports+’s review of the emails, an initial pursuit of a place for Shields on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card in November 2020 didn’t come to fruition.
Discussing why there was no place for the “GWOAT,” Bidarian, who assisted Triller’s Ryan Kavanaugh ahead of the event, suggested she simply didn’t have the numbers or viewers to justify the remuneration her manager was after.
“Claressa is obviously one of the best female boxers of all time, but the numbers (of viewers) she has didn’t make sense for us in terms of what Mark was hoping to achieve for her (in purse money), so I didn’t think it added to the Tyson-Jones pay-per-view, which ended up being the eighth largest in history,” said Bidarian.
While Shields was seemingly snubbed, Paul featured on the undercard, brutally knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson and further extending his venture into the sport of boxing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW00aVEpEAH/
Shields’ Manager Tries Again…
In another leaked email the next year, Taffet allegedly requested a spot for Shields on the April 17 card, which was built around and headlined by Paul’s clash with former ONE and Bellator welterweight titleholder Ben Askren.
Given Shields’ insistence that she’d never even think of competing on one of the Cleveland native’s cards, this revelation is more than shocking.
The leaked email, sent by Taffet to Bidarian on March 15, included Shields’ impressive feat of becoming the first boxer in history to simultaneously hold all four major world titles across two weight classes and championed for Triller to include her on their card.
“Claressa had a historic win … to become the first man or woman in the four-belt era to win an undisputed world title in two weight divisions. We are now beginning a plan for our next few fights, and would love to discuss out plan with you to see if Triller is interested in being the video platform of the world’s greatest female fighter. We would love to participate on your April 17 card if you have a slot available.”
After acknowledging Showtime’s decision to cut ties with Shields due to a disappointingly-low viewership, Bidarian, who is also a former UFC chief financial officer, turned down the request, and the card proceeded without the presence of the Michigan native.
“There wasn’t a business need that made sense and Jake had not started to focus on, ‘What can I do for boxing as a whole?’” Bidarian said. “Jake was still focused on building his own foothold into boxing.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CODXi9QLN4p/
Shields: “I Don’t Care What The Email Says”
Given Claressa Shields’ consistent and stern rebuttal that she wouldn’t consider fighting on a Jake Paul card, which has even seen legal threats and defamation claims, the leaked emails are certainly a less-than-positive look for her and her team.
With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she was quick to deny knowledge of them ever being sent or of her manager’s efforts to secure her place on the November 2020 and April 2021 cards.
Reacting to the emails, she told USA Today Sports+ there was “never” an instance where she was meant to or planning on competing at an event featuring “The Problem Chid,” nor would she ever consider doing so, no matter the size of the pay check.
“I was never, ever supposed to fight on an undercard of Jake Paul. I don’t care what the email says,” Shields said. “I would never do that, no matter how much they’re paying me. And everything has to go through me.”
Whether or not she had knowledge of the emails is one thing, but the fact her team sent them, knowing her apparent and public stance on the matter now, is surprising. Discussing why Paul’s team chose to release the emails to USA Today Sports+, Bidarian said they weren’t ready to let Shields “belittle” Paul.
“The only reason we’re bringing this to light is because Claressa has felt this need to belittle Jake Paul,” Bidarian said. “The only thing we’re responding with now is, ‘Hey, we have the receipts: You guys were trying to get on Jake Paul’s cards.’”
Despite her denial, some will certainly suggest Shields was open to doing business with Paul prior to their feud igniting later in 2021.
If Shields did have no idea of her team’s efforts to work with Paul’s team, it will likely have sparked a heated debate within the boxing champion’s camp, something she’ll hope to have resolved when she returns to action.
After professional boxing was suspended in the UK throughout January due to COVID-19, Shields’ scheduled clash with Slovenia’s Ema Kozin has been pushed back to February 5.
Whether this feud will die down or remain as heated as ever is anyone’s guess, but with Shields’ ongoing pursuit of glory both inside the ring and the cage and Paul’s blossoming venture into the ring set to continue throughout 2022, both will certainly have their hands full between the ropes.
What do you make of Shields’ team’s apparent attempts to get her onto the same cards as Jake Paul?
Jake Paul has taken the boxing world by storm, and he has now been named Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year.
Paul made his pro debut in 2020 where he scored a first-round TKO over fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. He followed that up with a vicious knockout win over Nate Robinson in November, but in 2021, he had a phenomenal year.
Paul headlined a Triller Fight Club pay-per-view against Ben Askren, where he scored a first-round knockout. After the fight, he signed with Showtime boxing and fought former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, in August in the main event of a pay-per-view card where he edged out a split decision. Although going 2-0 in the year is good for many boxers, Paul fought one more time as he rematched Woodley in December and scored a violent sixth-round KO.
Now, after going 3-0 in 2021 and being a big name in boxing, Sports Illustrated named him their Breakout Boxer of the Year, which Paul is blown away by.
Some reflection after winning “Breakout Boxer of The Year”
“Today I’m overwhelmed with many emotions and a deep feeling of gratitude. Less than 2 years ago I made my professional debut after having 1 amateur fight that lasted 5 rounds and now today, I won Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year. Wow,” Paul wrote on social media. “I got into boxing because I needed a new calling in life and in the process I fell in love with this amazing sport and decided to dedicate my entire life to it. I saw a ton of room for innovation and had a vision of being able to change this sport forever. People laughed in my face and talked s*** in every gym I went to. They told me I couldn’t become a real boxer because I was a “YouTuber” and that nobody would take me seriously. I laughed right back.”
Right now, Jake Paul does not have his next fight booked but he mentioned he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. When he does, it will no doubt be another big fight as Paul looks to continue his success in boxing.
What do you make of Jake Paul winning SI’s Breakout Boxer of the Year?
Tommy Fury still hopes to meet Jake Paul inside the ring this year, and believes “The Problem Child” has to reschedule their clash if he’s “serious” about fighting.
Having built an unblemished 4-0 record that included victories over YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA star Nate Robinson, and former MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, Paul was set for his first test against a professional boxer in the form of Fury last month.
While the now-5-0 Paul ponders his next opponent and step in combat sports, Fury looks set to continue pushing for a rescheduled date with the Cleveland native.
Paul Is Still The Fight Fury Wants
Despite claiming he’s targeting titles and killers in the ring this year, Fury has admitted the scale of a matchup with a star like Paul, along with the handsome paycheck, has him keen on putting the fight back together. But with Paul’s focus seemingly being on UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, it remains to be seen if his wish will be granted.
“My only thing that I wanna get done now is this fight to reschedule,” said Fury. “When somebody gets an injury that is out of their hands, completely out the hands with a broken rib, the first thing that I’d look to do, if I’m serious about fighting and seriously think I could’ve beat that guy, I would have thought, ‘Okay, no problem, you’re out, when can we reschedule?’ I’d wanna reschedule, and I’d want to prove to the world that I can beat a serious boxer, not just another MMA guy.
“That’s what we’re trying to get over at the minute. I know he’s offering (fights) to all kinds of people, but the fact of the matter is, there’s unfinished business here and this fight needs to take place,” added Fury. “How can he be serious about fighting if he’s never fought a boxer before? How can he be serious about this?
“He keeps referring to the UFC, if he wants to go and fight in the UFC, don’t put a pair of boxing gloves on. Don’t call yourself a boxer if you’ve never even fought one.”
Dana last day to accept my offer…you are a good negotiator. In an effort to bridge the gap, I’m willing to reduce my ask to $40K min, 40% rev for first 5 years and long term health care. Deal?
Or are you making another selfie video showing the world how much I’m in your head?
In recent days, Jake Paul has actually created an opportunity for his presence in the sport of boxing to dwindle. Taking on Dana White and the UFC’s fighter pay structure, as he often has since stepping into the combat sports limelight, “The Problem Child” laid down a challenge.
He’s offered to enter the USADA testing pool for a fight against Masvidal inside the Octagon, and with it, his retirement from boxing. For that to happen, White must fulfill a number of clauses relating to the pay of UFC athletes and healthcare coverage.
With White’s hatred of Paul meaning the offer is extremely unlikely to be met with a serious response, it stands to reason we’ll be seeing the YouTube star enter the squared circle again in 2022. Tommy Fury will be hoping he’s the one standing opposite Paul when it happens.
Do you think Jake Paul should reschedule his fight with Tommy Fury next?
WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou have never been more interested in fighting one another.
If Francis Ngannou fails to come to terms with the UFC, it appears he has a big boxing matchup ahead of him once he becomes a free agent. Ngannou and the UFC are in the middle of tense contract negotiations, with Ngannou’s current deal with the promotion set to expire after his upcoming unification bout against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. If Ngannou loses, he will be a free agent. If he wins, White recently stated that Ngannou would be contractually obligated to fight with the promotion again.
Ngannou has recently stated that in order for him to re-sign with the UFC, he must be granted the freedom to box. When mentioning potential opponents, Fury was among the names “The Predator” listed as being on his radar.
“Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder. I would like to test myself to that level,” Ngannou said during an interview with TMZ Sports. “It’s not the same sport, although I’m the champion, I’m in the top in this division. At the end of the day, it’s just about like trained hands, trained punches, having a good delivery system to produce bombs, and I’m sure that if I deliver my own punch, it’s pretty good, I can make some damage.”
Fury’s Response Sets Off Trash-Talking Twitter Exchange With Ngannou
Image Credit: John McCoy/Getty Images
Thursday, Tyson Fury took to Twitter to get a very early jump start on promoting the very hypothetical matchup.
“How about MMA rules with boxing gloves? I can do you that favor,” Ngannou wrote.
you want to come in to my world calling me & wilder out to a boxing match. what i can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! so have a think 🤔 https://t.co/JtOgcydYCJ
“you want to come in to my world calling me & wilder out to a boxing match. what i can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! so have a think,” Fury said in his latest retort.
After I handle business on Jan. 22 I'll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth. https://t.co/twRhBnFwwH
“After I handle business on Jan. 22 I’ll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth,” Ngannou assured.
Today isn’t the first time Fury expressed interest in boxing Ngannou with MMA gloves. Last summer, prior to Tyson Fury’s victory over Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight, “The Gypsy King” went back-and-forth with Ngannou in the media in a similar fashion as they did today. Speaking to Michael Bisping for BT Sport, Fury said that he’d have a boxing match with Ngannou inside a cage with MMA gloves on (via MMA.uno).
“Yeah, I would fight one of those guys, I would fight Ngannou with the little gloves on in a cage, but no grappling and all that, just boxing. Cage boxing. That will be good, right? I would fight these guys, but you know it’s a totally different sport. It is like cricket and tennis. They both have bats or rackets but it is something totally different. If I fight Ngannou in a wrestling match, I am not a fighter, so they are going to take me to the ground like James Toney and they are going to tear me to pieces.”
MMA News will keep you posted if there is any progress made on this fight ever becoming a reality or if these two behemoths continue to trade barbs on Twitter.
Who do you think would win in a boxing match with MMA gloves between Francis Ngannou and Tyson Fury?
Dana White’s accusation against Jake Paul for steroid usage was dealt a blow Wednesday when it was revealed that the YouTuber once again tested negative for banned substances.
Last month, Jake Paul landed a kill shot on his rivalry with Tyron Woodley when he KO’d “The Chosen One” in the sixth round of their rematch. Though his hand was raised after sleeping T-Wood, he still was battling accusations of steroid abuse, including from arch-nemesis Dana White.
White implied that Paul uses steroids in his recent retort to the YouTuber’s request to fight UFC-contracted stars. Instead of granting Paul his blessing, White instead threw the following proposal at him.
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul. This guy keeps saying that I’m a cokehead. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two,” White said in an appearance on “The FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.”
When Paul responded with a counteroffer, calling on White to increase pay and benefits to UFC fighters, White was more direct with his accusation.
“Jake, you never responded to the challenge. You publicly stated that I use cocaine. I do not. So I told you you could randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years. I believe that you’re a cheater, and I believe that you use steroids. So I want to randomly steroid test you for the next two years.”
Of course, Paul has denied any steroid usage with only his own testimony, but now The Sun has reported that his post-fight test results following his rematch with Woodley came back negative. This report was released the same day Paul dropped the following tweet that challenged the logic behind White’s accusation.
Dana White claimed my fights are fixed and THEN claimed I’m on steroids… So I’m on steroids to win fights that are already fixed for me to win? Sounds logical…
“Dana White claimed my fights are fixed and THEN claimed I’m on steroids… So I’m on steroids to win fights that are already fixed for me to win? Sounds logical…”
Jake Paul has never failed a drug test thus far in his young career, nor has he suffered a defeat in the boxing ring. His next opponent is yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, today is the final day for Dana White to accept Paul’s proposal that would see him retire from boxing if White agrees to his terms to improve the promotion’s pay and benefits of its fighters.
Bellator President Scott Coker has reiterated his willingness to bring Jake Paul over to MMA should the YouTuber-turned-boxer wish to switch sports.
As unlikely as it would have seemed a few years ago, Paul, a successful online personality and former Disney star, has become the newest sensation and big name in combat sports. Whether fans like him, hate him, respect him, or wish him to be gone, Paul’s impact in boxing can’t be denied.
In 2020, Paul began professional boxing venture. “The Problem Child” has built a perfect 5-0 record, with his level of opposition increasing with each appearance. After finishing fellow YouTube celebrity AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul turned his attention to MMA fighters.
First came Ben Askren. The former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion was stopped inside one round. His friend and teammate Tyron Woodley then took up the challenge. As a former 170-pound UFC titleholder, many expected him to be the one to halt Paul’s presence in the sport.
Instead, the 24-year-old defeated Woodley twice, once via split decision last August and then by way of a brutal knockout four months later.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp4XEWlcyd/
Coker Is Open To Doing Business With Paul
Paul’s ongoing journey in combat sports has certainly split opinion. While some, criticize the money he earns in boxing, the opposition he’s faced, and his outgoing personality, others have praised his impact in the sport, his willingness to face professional MMA stars, and his decision to speak out against the fighter pay structure in the UFC.
“I always said, ‘Look, these guys are real athletes, and they’re young, they work hard, they’re grinding it out. They’re putting in the work. You can’t take that away from them, and they’re getting better and better and better. What you saw with Woodley, that’s a lot of hard work to get to that point. I’ve never seen Woodley get knocked out like that, right? And so, is it just boxing? Yes. So, I always said, ‘Look, man, don’t underestimate these guys,’ and this was like a year-and-a-half ago.”
Coker went on to reiterate his openness for a business deal between his promotion and Paul. The former Strikeforce CEO suggested that if the 24-year-old wants to make the transition to mixed martial arts, Bellator will be waiting with open arms.
“If you want to come into MMA, we would gladly do it,” Coker said. “Think about this: He’s not saying, ‘I’m going to go train here. I’m going to go train there.’ He’s going to come to one of the best gyms in the planet, where Khabib is, where Daniel Cormier is still training, where Cain Velasquez is teaching there now, and he’s going to go into an environment that he is going to flourish, and he has a wrestling background already. He has great striking, obviously. You’ve seen it, and so this guy is just going to get better and better and better. The days of him fighting basketball players or whatever, those days are over.
“He wants to do it. The only thing I will say is, my understanding is he wants to get 10 fights into boxing, and then after that come over to mixed martial arts. I know certain people feel a certain way, but I tell you, don’t underestimate these guys because when they have their minds made up, it just seems like that they’re able to fulfill their destiny, and so to me, it’s something that if they want to make it happen, we would love to do something with them and put them in some big fights and really test them out.”
How many current and former UFC fighters are actually going to get behind my offer to Dana?
Although seemingly committed to more fights inside the squared circle, Paul has appeared open to a move to the cage. In a challenge recently sent to UFC President Dana White, Paul suggested he’d fight welterweight Jorge Masvidal inside the Octagon should White meet a number of clauses, including an increase in the minimum fighter pay number.
Whether Paul is really open to testing the waters of MMA and the UFC or simply playing on a challenge he knows White won’t accept is up for debate. But one thing is for certain, “The Problem Child” has gone beyond expectation so far. Perhaps he’ll do the same in MMA over the coming years.
Would you like to see Jake Paul fight inside a UFC or Bellator MMA cage?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6971303/307_Nate_Diaz.0.jpg)
