Jake Paul has cited the PFL's mission of being a "fighter-first" organisation as the reason he signed with the MMA league.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has won six professional boxing fights since ditching his internet fame for a career in the ring, but he will turn his attention to the cage as he gears up for his MMA debut. PFL, which stands for Professional Fighters' League, are debuting a new 'super-fight' division later this year which is separate from their league format.
Paul revealed that along with his manager Nakisa Bidarian, he sat down with PFL bosses Donn Davis and Peter Murray to negotiate his move to the PFL. The 25-year-old will also serve as the head of fighter advocacy for the promotion, doubling down on his efforts to guarantee MMA fighters more money and equal opportunities.
What are your thoughts on Jake Paul signing with the PFL? Let us know in the comments section below
"I've officially signed as an MMA fighter to the fastest-growing sports league in the world, the PFL. Not only am I'm an MMA fighter but I'm also a co-founder of the new PFL pay-per-view super-fight division. I will be the head of fighter advocacy and I'm going to use my platform to market PFL fighters and introduce them to my fans worldwide," Paul said.
"I personally will be deeply involved in making sure the PFL is the best place in the world for fighters, with the launch of this new division our fighters will be receiving 50 per cent of the revenue. A partnership that allows fighters to be individual and for them to monetise their own sponsorship deals which as we know, isn't allowed in the UFC."
Paul has involved himself in a feud with UFC boss Dana White over fighter pay, challenging White to improve the minimum purse in the promotion and increase the revenue split for fighters, which is currently around 18 per cent. 'The Problem Child' also recently started up his own fighters union, which UFC legend Anderson Silva is set to join after losing a pre-fight bet he made before fighting Paul last October.
"Today is a massive day for pay-per-view fighters because you have another massive league that is ready to do big business. I'm taking this seriously, I still want to become a world champion in boxing but as you guys know I was a wrestler first. When all of these influencers started boxing and calling people out, I said I wanted to do MMA," Paul continued.
"I've already disrupted boxing but now it's time to disrupt in MMA, I know this is such a tough sport and it's not going to be easy. But if I did it in boxing I can do it in MMA. I'm so dedicated that I've offered Nate Diaz a two-fight deal, first we box then six months later we fight in the PFL SmartCage. If that's not balls then I don't know what it is."
