The Jake Paul-Bo Nickal brodown has officially started, as the two fighters came together this week for an intriguing sparring session.
As Paul gears up for an eventual move over to professional mixed martial arts (MMA) — which is expected to occur by the end of 2023 — he’ll be requesting help from some familiar faces around the combat community. This includes rising UFC middleweight sensation and former three-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion, Bo Nickal.
Nickal is signed to Paul’s betting company, Betr, and had already expressed interest in helping “Problem Child” train for a move from the boxing ring to the cage. Fight fans weren’t sure when the two would connect on the mats, but it happened earlier this week.
Paul showcased the video footage during a recent episode of BS w/ Jake Paul, which can be seen in the above video player.
For the most part, Nickal took his time to teach Paul a thing or two about grappling. This included some takedown defense along with submission defense off his back. Nickal was obviously taking things slow with the professional boxer, but Paul was absorbing all he could. Paul returned the favor with some pointers in the standup department.
Paul, who has zero MMA experience under his belt, is hoping to compete under the Professional Fighters League (PFL) banner by the end of the year. The social media sensation is gearing up for a potential rematch against rival boxer Tommy Fury, but after that Paul could finally turn his focus on his PFL debut.
Thoughts? Can Nickal help Paul win his MMA debut or his “Problem Child” completely doomed?
Let us know in the comments below!