Jake Paul is willing to face Nate Diaz in the UFC octagon free of charge, if the promotion make changes to their pay structure.
YouTube star Paul has offered to help free Diaz from his UFC contract dispute by stepping in as the final opponent on his deal. But in return, he wants president Dana White to increase the minimum fighter payout from its current $12,000 to a considerably larger $50,000.
The social media sensation is 5-0 as a professional boxer, and will look to improve to 6-0 on August 6 against Hasim Rahman Jr at Madison Square Garden. But his combat sports beginnings were as a high school wrestler in Ohio, and MMA has always been the sport of choice for both he and his brother Logan.
However, he has been making waves in the boxing world and as yet has been unable to secure a move to the cage, which would require a while new training regimen. White has on many occasions laughed off the idea of Paul coming to his octagon, but appears to have softened in recent weeks, and even said that he feels Paul vs Diaz makes sense as a fight.
“I’ll be Nate Diaz’s last fight in the UFC," he told ESPN this week. "I’ll throw on the MMA gloves and fight him for free as long as Dana White increases the minimum fighter pay to $50k and gives them healthcare benefits. That was my deal, I think the Nate Diaz fight should happen, and if it doesn't happen with that offer, it'll probably happen one day in a boxing ring. It makes a ton of sense, the UFC has been dead this whole year.
"I get why fighters are trying to leave, boxing is s****ing on MMA this year. You haven't heard of any UFC fights and they've all be boring so I get why Nate is trying to get out, he's trying to come and face the money man which is me. It makes sense and I guess Dana White agrees."
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Paul earns millions from his fights, particularly after co-founding Most Valuable Promotions last year with manager and former UFC CFO Nakisa Bidarian last year. He is reported to have taken home $45million for his bouts against Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley twice, but would be willing to leave those paydays behind to fight in the octagon.
Mirror Fighting understands the initial plan for Paul's return as recently as December was for him to face Diaz towards the end of this summer. At the time of his last outing against Woodley, a deal was almost done for the UFC star to fight out his contract against Vicente Luque, but that fell through and he has been shelved since.
Diaz was in attendance throughout fight week for Paul vs Woodley 2, cornering his teammate Chris Avila. He was facing Paul's sparring partner and friend Anthony Taylor, whom he beat by split decision over eight rounds.
