5 reasons why Tyron Woodley is the perfect next opponent for Jake Paul

After a first-round knockout of Ben Askren, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has been linked with several potential opponents. Plenty of boxers, UFC fighters and social media sensations have thrown their hat in the ring to face him.

Floyd Mayweather, Tommy Fury, Conor McGregor, Kamaru Usman, Dillon Danis, Chuck Liddell and Daniel Cormier have either been called out by Paul or have expressed an interest in fighting him. But the most logical choice for the 24-year-old to take on might be former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

Here are 5 reasons why Woodley is the perfect next opponent for Jake Paul.

#5 MMA needs a win against Jake Paul

Jake Paul is 3-0 as a professional boxer, with wins over YouTuber AnEson Gib, former NBA star Nate Robinson and former MMA fighter Ben Askren. Amidst the three wins, the first-round knockout of Askren stands out.

Boxing and MMA have been compared on end, with the former's reputation as a competitive sport slowly diminishing. Paul has not been hesitant to speak out against MMA and the UFC, saying that Dana White doesn't pay his fighters well enough and that boxing is the pinnacle of combat sports.

As things currently stand, MMA as a whole desperately needs a win over Jake Paul, who has not only pointed fingers at the way the sport is run but also disrespected a number of legends. Woodley, with his immense power and resume, would be a much better representation of the MMA community than Ben Askren, who wasn't even an average striker while active.

#4 Tyron Woodley could avenge Ben Askren's defeat

Unlike many other potential opponents for Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley would have the ability to play along to an interesting storyline. At the end of the day, both Paul and Woodley are after a fight that sells PPVs, and the idea of 'The Chosen One' getting revenge for longtime friend and training partner Ben Askren is an exciting one.

Woodley and Askren first met at the University of Missouri in 2004, where they wrestled together and immediately struck up a bond. That friendship has stood the test of time, as Woodley cornered Askren during his fight against Paul.

Speaking about how he'd like to see Paul take on Woodley next, Askren said:

“Tyron (Woodley) is my obvious pick, because Tyron’s a way better boxer than I am. Like, way, way better. That’s not even really a comparison in my mind. I wasn’t good at boxing at all! My whole take was, I can put 11 weeks into this and be good enough to beat him. Tyron is actually very good at boxing. Obviously I’d like to see Jake lose. So I hope it’s Tyron.”

#3 Tyron Woodley and Jake Paul have already instigated beef

Tyron Woodley and Jake Paul in the locker room

During the fight between Jake Paul and Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley had some a locker room interaction with certain members of the 24-year-old's entourage.

J'Leon Love, a professional boxer with a 24-3-1 (1 NC) record who was part of Paul's backroom staff, appeared to disrespect the former UFC welterweight champion. Paul even took to social media in the aftermath of the fight to tease a contest between Love and Woodley, as part of his call-out of Daniel Cormier.

'The Problem Child' has proved to be a shrewd promoter and marketer of fights, and he's already set the stage for a showdown between him and Woodley. The two men have instigated beef with one another, and sparks are bound to fly if they clash in the immediate future.

#2 Tyron Woodley could use a hefty paycheck before retiring

Since defending his UFC welterweight title against Darren Till back in September 2018, Tyron Woodley has lost four on the trot. He lost his title to Kamaru Usman with an insipid performance, appearing significantly gun-shy and going on to lose against Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington.

Although we saw a more aggressive Woodley against Vicente Luque in March, he was submitted in the first round. The performance turned out to be his last under the UFC banner, and the 39-year-old is no longer under contract with the promotion.

Retirement isn't far away for Woodley, who is clearly past his prime. He could use a big paycheck before hanging up the gloves, and Jake Paul could give him exactly that. Ben Askren reportedly earned USD 500,000 to show up against Paul.

Woodley recently expressed a desire to fight Paul, saying:

“Jake Paul is – well I guess we kind of recognize he came from Disney, we expect him to be this little f***ing Macho Macho Man that he’s playing. But he keeps calling out everybody but me. I’m the one with the real smoke with you. They just culture vultures. Like, he’ll ‘vult’ the juice from his own damn flesh and blood.”

#1 Tyron Woodley would be a significant step up in competition for Jake Paul

While Jake Paul's win over Ben Askren was impressive, it was nowhere near enough to cement his claim as a legitimate professional boxer. After all, 'Funky' is probably one of the worst strikers in the history of MMA, and entered the fight as an underdog.

Other opponents like Dillon Danis, who also isn't known for his skills on the feet, might not help Paul prove to the world that he has it in him. A win over Tyron Woodley, however, would go a long way in establishing himself as a genuinely talented boxer who is improving at a rapid rate.

Paul's record doesn't look very impressive at the moment, with wins over a YouTuber, an NBA player and a wrestler. While Woodley isn't the best striker in the world, he's explosive and packs a punch. He would be the perfect step up in competition for Paul.