Jake Paul gets honest about MMA fight plans while naming heavyweight boxing champion as potential opponent

Jake Paul recently shared his thoughts on his potential future in mixed martial arts. 'The Problem Child' signed an exclusive contract with the PFL in January 2023, aiming to make his MMA debut in the near future. Since then, he has consistently teased his transition into the cage, even publicly challenging high-profile UFC stars like Conor McGregor, Alex Pereira, and other notable fighters.

Despite more than two years having passed since signing with the PFL, there is still no sign that Paul will make his MMA debut anytime soon. Instead, he remains fully committed to his thriving boxing career, having competed in six bouts between February 2023 and November 2024.

During a recent interview with FightHype.com, Paul was questioned about his MMA plans. While Holly Holm was present, he acknowledged drawing inspiration from her successful combat sports journey and indicated that he is likely to step into the cage for a fight sometime next year:

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"I want to be like Holly here and test my skills in the cage, and that's something I'm super, super interested in. I think it would be a very, very big spectacle."

'The Problem Child' further stated that he was targeting an MMA rematch against his former boxing opponent, Nate Diaz, asserting that Diaz has been dodging the fight. He also claimed to be in talks to potentially face unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk inside the cage.

Check out Jake Paul's comments below (6:12):

Paul is scheduled to make his return to the ring on June 28, where he will face former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a cruiserweight bout at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

When Dan Hardy doubted Jake Paul’s MMA debut plans

During an interview with MMA Fighting in April, Dan Hardy expressed his belief that Jake Paul is unlikely to make his MMA debut anytime soon. The PFL executive stated that it seems improbable 'The Problem Child' will put his highly successful boxing career on hold to transition to cage fighting:

"Do we ever see him in MMA? I don’t think so. I think he’s pretty focused on boxing. It’s a lot of work for him to cross over to mixed martial arts, and he’s not going to fight anybody that you’ve never heard of before. It’s going to have to be a decent name, or otherwise, people won’t watch it. Even old guys in MMA could still handle business, I think, with Jake Paul."

Check out Dan Hardy's comments below:

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With over two years at Sportskeeda, Pranav has authored around 2,900 articles, drawing millions of views across a diverse range of topics. While MMA and boxing remain his primary forte, his expertise extends well beyond combat sports. From political analysis to lifestyle trends and other compelling subjects, his work reflects versatility.

His passion for MMA was ignited by iconic moments such as Brock Lesnar’s groundbreaking UFC debut and Conor McGregor’s meteoric rise to superstardom. These events made him understand the unfiltered, gritty essence of competition, drawing him in with their raw authenticity.

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Edited by Pranav Pandey