Jake Paul competing in MMA just got a little more real with new reports of conversations with a premiere organization.
Sports Business Journal reported on Saturday that the YouTuber turned popular boxer is in exploratory discussions with the Professional Fighters League. Contributor Adam Stern tweeted the news, with his source being none other than PFL CEO Peter Murray.
“@PFLMMA CEO @PeteMurrayPFL tells SBJ that he has been having early talks with @JakePaul and his agent, Nakisa Bidarian, about fighting with the MMA property,” Stern wrote.
Jake Paul in talks to fight in PFL MMA
He also added a direct quote from the promotion boss confirming the conversations.
“Fans have seen him in the ring and this’d be an opportunity to see how he’d fare in the cage. We’re down with it,” Murray told the outlet.
The 5-0 lightning rod pugilist has made no secret of his interest in the sport of MMA, as he has publicly crusaded against UFC President Dana White over the last few months on the topic of fighter pay. The pair even recently traded videos on social media with challenges based around drug testing and improving wages for UFC talent.
Paul has made no secret about his interest in MMA
However, in the lead-up to his knockout win over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley last month, Paul openly spoke about his desire to one day compete in the cage, and said the likelihood of that happening was “100%.” He also claimed when he did decide to go into a serious camp for his MMA debut, he planned to train at the highly regarded gym American Kickboxing Academy. The home of UFC legends Daniel Cormier, Cain Velasquez, and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
On Friday, Paul posted a video of his first training session working on leg kicks. Noting in the caption for the video, “1st-day training kicks. Doubted every step of the way. But kick down the doors of the doubters. @bellatormma @pflmma,” he wrote.
What are your thoughts about Paul possibly competing in the PFL, and would he fare better than Claressa Shields? A more accomplished former boxer who went 1-1 in her two bouts for the promotion last year.
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