As of late, Jake Paul has surprisingly emerged as a significant figure in the world of combat sports. His activities in the ring, along with his regular criticism of the treatment of fighters by Dana White and the UFC, have established him as a notable figure in both boxing and mixed martial arts.
Despite having solely participated in boxing to date, with a professional record of 6-1 and victories over former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley, the situation is set to change for Jake Paul this year. He announced that he signed a multi-year contract with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) before his defeat to British boxer Tommy Fury in February.
Furthermore, he revealed that he will debut in mixed martial arts as part of the promotion’s new Super Fight division, which he co-owns.
The subject of who “The Problem Child” will take on in the new sport has sparked interest, and one of the PFL’s leading names has voiced his opinion. During an interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Brendan Loughnane, the 2022 PFL Featherweight Champion, expressed his views on Jake Paul’s participation in the organization, which has gained attention for its unique season and playoff format.
After mentioning his experiences with the Cleveland native, Loughnane went on to speak about the positive impact that Paul’s arrival will have on attracting more viewers. The 33-year-old Mancunian also named a couple of other prominent free agents he hopes will follow Paul to the SmartCage.
“I like Jake. Me and Jake have been conversating since he took PFL stakes. He must have realized who I was then,” Loughnane said. “He added me on Instagram, we’ve been talking back and forth. Jake’s a cool guy. I’m glad he’s bringing more eyes to the PFL… Keep them all coming. Nate (Diaz), and if they sign Francis (Ngannou), that’s a power move.”
When he was asked about Jake’s potential opponent he answered:
“Nate Diaz,” Loughnane asserted. “Here’s what I want. I want (them) to fight in boxing, and then I want them to rematch in PFL… Exciting times. Let’s put it that way.”
Loughnane’s statements support the plan put forward by Jake Paul himself. In the video announcing his PFL contract, “The Problem Child” challenged Diaz to a two-fight series in both boxing and mixed martial arts.
Although little information has surfaced regarding the likelihood of this happening, Paul appears to be working hard in the gym to prepare for his transition to mixed martial arts, even receiving assistance from wrestling great and UFC middleweight Bo Nickal.