Jake Paul is expected to train for a year before making his MMA debut in the PFL.
The YouTube star has previously trained in MMA and was heavily linked with a debut, which he ideally wanted in the UFC after making numerous wagers with promotion president Dana White. However after months of negotiations, Paul announced today he has signed a deal with MMA promotion PFL to compete in the cage on a multi-fight and multi-year deal.
A fight date or opponent is yet to be set for Paul, who will first continue his boxing journey before competing in the promotion's new pay-per-view 'super-fight' division. And PFL chairman Donn Davis has suggested the opponents he intends to duel with in the cage are going to stun MMA fans.
"I think what's made Jake interesting to fans is that he works hard and he doesn't underestimate what it takes," Davis told ESPN when reviewing the new deal between Paul and the promotion. "He knows he's not ready [for his MMA debut] right now, but he's starting to train.
"I think it's going to be about one year from now, so early 2024, where you'll see him take on his first opponent. But the kind of opponents he is thinking of will shock the world in terms of their status and name brand."
Paul's deal will not only see him compete inside the cage, but will allow him to become heavily involved in the promotion in his new role as Head of Fighter Advocacy. The YouTube star already boasts an undefeated record of 6-0 as a professional in the boxing ring where he has already beaten former UFC fighters including Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley.
Who do you think Jake Paul should fight in his MMA debut? Let us know in the comments section below
Just hours after announcing his deal, Paul offered a two-fight deal in the PFL to long-term rival Nate Diaz so the pair can finally settle the scores in both the boxing ring and the cage. He explained he intends to put himself on the map in MMA by treading a similar path as he has done already in combat sports.
"I've officially signed as an MMA fighter to the fastest-growing sports league in the world, the PFL," he explained. "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.
'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. 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."
