UFC president Dana White has admitted he is "intrigued" by the prospect of Jake Paul fighting in the UFC and has refused to rule out a move.
Paul has made a successful start to his professional boxing career, winning his first five fights and is eyeing a future switch to MMA. He previously made an offer to White to fight Conor McGregor in the UFC in exchange for a review of fighter pay and healthcare in the promotion.
White believes Paul wants to fight in the UFC for the money despite his heavy criticism of the fighter pay structure in the promotion. “At the end of the day, the kid wants to fight here," White said on the Pivot Podcast. "He doesn’t want to fight here because he doesn’t believe we pay guys. He wants to fight here because this is where the money is, regardless of what he says.
“I would never say never. I don’t know, I mean, I look at it sometimes. And it’s kind of intriguing, but it kind of goes against what I do. I really do bring the best of the best in. I’ve tried to do a couple of those celebrity things with some WWE guys. Some worked. Some didn’t. But I wouldn’t say no. I did Mayweather/McGregor when I said I would never do it.”
White has previously been involved in a crossover bout between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor and has claimed in the past he is open to celebrity options if they provide a big enough opportunity. He recently appeared on Jake's brother Logan's podcast where he discussed the possibility of Logan fighting in the UFC.
However Paul has yet to meet White and has been heavily outspoken on his opinion in regards to fighter pay and healthcare in the promotion. He made a 'diss track' on White with the pair exchanging verbal jabs on social media for several months.
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Paul has began training in MMA and has posted footage of himself working on his kicking technique which received mixed reviews. The YouTube star even claimed he was training with former undefeated champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, which was later dismissed by the Russian's trainer Javier Mendez.
Despite their previous stern words, Paul believes White is coming around to the idea of him competing in the UFC. “I think it’s timing and proving myself more in the boxing side of things," Paul said on Teddy Atlas’ podcast The Fight. "And pretty soon the UFC and the MMA side, it’ll be undeniable for me to get into the Octagon, or fight for one of these other organisations against a big name.
"So I think it’s all a timing thing and Dana [White] seems to be open to it, right? He said on my brother’s podcast he might let Logan fight in the UFC and I think he’s coming around to me and starting to see what I’m about and what I actually stand for."
