As the latest proponent for adequate fighter pay, Jake Paul believes that he will one day fight in the MMA space despite the growing hostility from Dana White.
Once “The Problem Child” rendered Ben Askren unconscious at the Triller fighting event back in April, the YouTube-turned boxer ascended to new heights of celebrity. The 3-0 boxer is set to put his money where his mouth is once again when he takes on Askren’s teammate and former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. The super-fight between Woodley and Paul is set for August 29 and will be contested for 10-rounds at 190 lbs.
Each passing week, it seems Jake Paul finds a new way to draw attention to the inadequate pay structure provided by the UFC. From helping UFC fighter Sarah Alpar with her GoFundMe efforts, to calling out Dana White on social media, Jake Paul isn’t afraid to voice his opinion about the fight game.
Paul admits that an itch exists to compete under MMA rules and that perhaps down the line, the social media juggernaut could enter the gauntlet. UFC president Dana White claims that Paul already tried joining the company but the boss refused to sign him. After hearing that White allegedly turned down the opportunity to work with him, Jake Paul refuted the claims of the UFC boss.
While tension is palpable between Paul and White, the business-oriented Paul will not dismiss the idea of one day competing in MMA. After all, it doesn’t have to be in the UFC.
“Maybe, I think there’s an itch there. Not anytime soon, but it would be fun to go back in and wrestle and maybe throw some submissions.” Jake Paul said in a media scrum.
As it stands, there is definite hostility between Jake Paul and Dana White, and as long as “The Problem Child” keeps highlighting the perceived imbalanced pay structure at the UFC, that energy isn’t going anywhere.
Would you like to see Jake Paul compete in MMA?