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Tyron Woodley became the latest UFC fighter to enter the boxing ring when he made his professional debut against social media star Jake Paul last weekend.
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The former UFC welterweight champion, who parted ways with the promotion earlier this year, reportedly cashed in on a significant paycheque for his troubles. Woodley wasn't the first fighter to enter the realm of boxing in search of a payday, with Conor McGregor having set the trend of money fights.
Fighters like Jorge Masvidal and Israel Adesanya have already fought in professional boxing bouts, while others like Cody Garbrandt competed at an amateur level. In the coming months and years, we could see several UFC fighters turn to pro boxing, with the MMA promotion's salary structure known to be harsh.
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Here are five UFC superstars who could soon be seen in the boxing ring.
#5 UFC lightweight contender Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier is one of the best pure boxers in the UFC right now, having beaten Conor McGregor twice and outstruck almost every striker he has faced over the last few years. 'The Diamond' seems intent on making as much money as he can before quitting the sport of MMA, which apparently doesn't interest him as much as it once did.
Poirier's immediate future has a lightweight title fight against Charles Oliveira at the forefront, but he could soon enter a sport which he'd undoubtedly be good at. Speaking about the possibility of a boxing bout against Nate Diaz, the 32-year-old said in January 2020:
“I’d be willing to box him if they wanted to do that. I wish Zuffa Boxing was around and we’d have an opportunity – him and his brother were always talking about crossing over to boxing, I’d love to put the paws on him and show you guys my boxing skills.”
Poirier has taken shots at Diaz on social media, and has even been vocal about the Paul brothers' introduction to boxing. It isn't far-fetched to imagine him lacing up the gloves in the near future.
#4 UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou
Francis Ngannou's introduction to combat sports was through boxing. When he reached French shores, the Cameroon-born fighter began training in the sweet science before its complicated system of promoters made him switch to MMA.
However, Ngannou has often been vocal about his love for boxing and was recently involved in an online spat with undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. He has also been linked to fights against Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua.
One of the hardest hitters MMA has ever seen, Ngannou isn't just a power puncher and has solid technique. He could soon become a fearsome boxer.
#3 Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic
Another UFC heavyweight with impeccable boxing credentials, Stipe Miocic once took a year off MMA training to improve his pugilism. He even won the Cleveland Golden Gloves competition.
The former UFC heavyweight champion claimed that it made him a better fighter, and the effects of his training have been visible in the way he has outstruck most of his competition in the highly competitive division.
Speaking about how boxing helped shape his MMA career and why he chose to do it in the first place, Miocic said:
"Just to get better. I was an amateur working my way up, and I had time to do it, so why not do it. Taking that time off and learning how to better use my striking with the boxing, it made me such a better fighter. I actually started MMA first and then for over a year and a half I was boxing in my state and then I came back. Yeah, I thought about it but I just stuck with MMA."
Miocic has previously been linked to boxing bouts against Fury and Joshua. He once said:
“I would love to box. If there’s a chance I could fight Joshua or Fury or something like that, it’d be great."
Now embroiled in a dispute with the UFC, Miocic might make his way into the boxing ring sooner rather than later.
#2 Former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson
As Jake Paul extended his professional boxing record to 4-0 with his win over Tyron Woodley, Tony Ferguson chimed in on the matter. The former interim UFC lightweight champion put out a simple tweet that made his intentions clear:
On paper, it makes a lot of sense for Ferguson to switch to boxing. 'El Cucuy' is currently on a three-fight losing skid and seems to be past his prime, with his two recent losses coming after being dominated on the ground.
Ferguson is also nearing the end of his UFC career and a hefty payday would be something he'd welcome. An entertaining personality and talented boxer, the 27-year-old could soon turn to pro boxing.
#1 UFC welterweight Nate Diaz
The Diaz brothers have always been known for their supreme boxing skills, with several boxing world champions having praised them for being consistently excellent in sparring sessions.
Nate Diaz, who is one of the most loved fighters in the world right now, could be an excellent candidate to switch to pro boxing. The Stockton native took to Twitter to offer his opinion on Paul vs Woodley, mincing no words in typical Diaz fashion:
Diaz has an iron chin, world-class cardio, excellent combinations and an entertaining personality. He also has budding rivalries against several members of the boxing fraternity. We could finally see the 36-year-old compete in fights that last longer than 25 minutes.
