![Tyron Woodley (left), Jake Paul (right) [Images Courtesy: @twooodley @jakepaul on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/c777b-16298232994448-800.jpg)
![Tyron Woodley (left), Jake Paul (right) [Images Courtesy: @twooodley @jakepaul on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley's much-anticipated boxing match is finally upon us. A former UFC champion will take on an undefeated boxer who rose to fame on YouTube.
It seems a bizarre pairing, but then again Jake Paul has been nothing but impressive in the boxing ring so far, whilst Tyron Woodey is currently riding a four-fight losing streak in MMA.
In the following list, we will detail five incidents and reasons that have led to this intriguing matchup between a former MMA champion and a YouTuber has come about.
#5. Jake Paul's trash talk on social media
One of the reasons Jake Paul has become such a big draw in combat sports in his social media presence. Paul has shown a complete willingness to interact with anyone and everyone in the combat sports sphere.
He has specifically targeted Woodley, but has also taken shots at many integral figures in the MMA community. This no doubt served as some level of motivation for Woodley to agree to the fight.
But more importantly, they served as an excellent method of promoting the fight, with each controversial post by Paul gaining huge social media traction.
#4. Jake Paul's confrontation with Daniel Cormier
Following Jake Paul's most recent victory, he had several back-and-forths with former UFC double champ Daniel Cormier over social media. This culminated in Cormier vowing to smack Jake Paul should he see him.
Shortly after, Jake Paul made an appearance at UFC 261, whilst Cormier was on commentary duty. Sure enough, the two men ended up face-to-face with one another in a heated altercation.
It was also at this event where the MMA community's feelings towards Jake Paul were fully voiced, as a responding chant of "F*** Jake Paul" could be heard all across the arena.
From this point onwards it became clear that by the time Jake Paul fought, there would be a huge number of people tuning in with the hope of watching him lose.
#3. Tyron Woodley's departure from the UFC
At UFC 260, Tyron Woodley competed in the UFC for the last time. He came up short against top-ranked UFC welterweight Vicente Luque after being caught up in a D'Arce choke.
At the post-fight press conference, Dana White announced that the UFC would not be extending Woodley's contract. UFC contracts are notoriously difficult to work around, so the fact that Woodley was made a free agent was a direct catalyst that led to his transition to boxing.
Woodley had been on a four-fight losing streak before leaving the promotion. However, in all four of these fights, the grappling/wrestling side of the contests were significant factors to Woodley coming up short.
This will of course not be an element of the fight with Paul, although time will tell whether this ends up being in Woodley's favor or not.
#2. Tyron Woodley's confrontation with J'Leon Love and Jake paul
In a video that began circulating on social media in the buildup to Jake Paul's fight with Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley can be seen in a very tense altercation with J'Leon Love, a member of Paul's team.
As is the custom in boxing matches, Tyron Woodley went to Jake Paul's dressing room as a representative of Ben Askren's team, to observe Paul having his hand and gloves wrapped.
A member of Paul's coaching team, J’Leon Love, a Golden Gloves medalist, can be seen attempting to instigate some kind of dispute with Woodley over whether the former UFC welterweight champion belongs at a boxing event. To Woodley's credit, he refrained from being riled up by Love's comments and even kept his cool when Jake Paul joined in.
As calm and collected as Woodley remained, Love and Paul's disrespectful comments must have at the very least irked 'The Chosen One's' competitive spirit, and was no doubt a key reason for the fight eventually coming together.
#1. Jake Paul's KO of former UFC welterweight Ben Askren
When Jake Paul knocked out former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in the first round, there was a resounding cry throughout social media for a fighter to step up and represent the sport of MMA, albeit in a boxing match.
Woodley was of course part of Askren's coaching staff for the fight with Jake Paul, meaning he had front row seats to the knockout of a man once considered to be one of the best MMA welterweights in the world.
Woodley has already stated that he is doing this for the whole MMA community. However, the fact that Jake Paul knocked Askren out in such emphatic fashion means that whilst Woodley has a huge backing in this fight, he is going in as the betting underdog, just adding to the intrigue of the clash.
