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Jake Paul has named Israel Adesanya as his favorite UFC fighter.
The YouTuber does not have the best relationship with many mixed martial artists, but he has acknowledged his admiration for the reigning UFC middleweight champion, and also Jon Jones.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has recently made headlines regarding MMA due to his flashy offers to Conor McGregor and Dillon Danis to fight him in a boxing bout. Jake Paul allegedly offered $50 million to McGregor and $1 million to Danis.
However, one UFC star seems to have a good relationship with "The Problem Child". Jake Paul has revealed that Adesanya is his favorite UFC fighter and the middleweight champion appears to have noticed.
The two met when Adesanya went to congratulate Jake Paul for his victory against former NBA player Nate Robinson.
When asked about his favorite fighters in the UFC, Jake Paul quickly provided an answer.
"Israel Adesanya. He is sick, bro. I also like Jon Jones."
That same night, which was marked by Mike Tyson's return from retirement in an exhibition bout with Roy Jones Junior, helped Jake Paul legitimize his call-outs. He left many impressed with his brutal knockout against Robinson.
Adesanya was one of those. The UFC star met Jake Paul after the fight, and the duo exchanged jokes and praise to each other.
Jake Paul against the MMA world
Jake Paul has managed to get himself hated by almost all of the MMA world. With disrespectful call-outs sent right, left, and center, and an arrogant attitude, the YouTuber has made plenty of enemies.
Jake Paul started to receive extra attention after he knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson in a rather impressive fashion. Then, right after the bout, he made a call-out to former UFC double-champion Conor McGregor.
What seemed like a naive challenge at the time has escalated to a feud going out of proportion. McGregor never really acknowledged Jake Paul's provocations, but other mixed martial artists have expressed their disgust with the content of Paul's words directed at the Irishman.
In the most popular video, the YouTuber offers $50 million to McGregor to fight him in a boxing bout. Jake Paul curses the former UFC champion and even targets his fiancée, Dee Devlin.
After that, Jake Paul decided to turn his attention to McGregor's friend and Bellator's welterweight, Dillon Danis. He started the rivalry by throwing water balloons at Danis in a surprise drive-by attack. Then, Jake Paul made things personal when he brought Danis' ex-girlfriend Savannah Montano into their dispute.
According to Jake Paul, both McGregor and Danis rejected his offer. Jake Paul himself declined UFC president Dana White's proposition that Amanda Nunes could fight him. In the end, it was former UFC welterweight Ben Askren who accepted the challenge.
Jake Paul versus Ben Askren is set to happen on March 28, 2021.
