Jake Paul will make his MMA debut at the end of this year or at "some time" in 2024 as details of his PFL contract have come to light.
Paul, 26, will compete in the PFL's new 'super-fight' division, which is separate from their league format and airs exclusively on pay-per-view. The undefeated YouTuber-turned-boxer signed a deal to fight in the PFL last month and he is also serving as the head of fighter advocacy for the promotion.
'The Problem Child' has a lot on his plate this year as he fights Tommy Fury later this month in the hopes of setting up a contest with bitter rival KSI at the end of the year. PFL's Senior Vice-president James Frewin, who is overseeing the launch of the promotion's European league, revealed that Paul is obliged to compete in the PFL as part of his contract.
"It’s in his contract – Jake is going to fight in the PFL Smart Cage," Frewin told GiveMeSport. "When? To be confirmed, but he will fight in the PFL. Either at the end of 2023 or some time in 2024. I think where and when is TBC but the international expansion is a big part of our strategy at the PFL.
"You know we’ve got a great brand in the US. We’ve launched PFL Europe, we announced those dates earlier. We’re going to be in the UK, France, Germany and Ireland in December, so all options are on the table. We could see Jake competing in the UK or somewhere outside the US, yeah."
Paul has a background in wrestling from his time in high school and recently started his jiu-jitsu training under accomplished black belt Mike Perez ahead of his MMA debut. The PFL is making a big push to become MMA's No.2 promotion, behind the UFC, and Frewin thinks Paul was attracted to join the league because of its global expansion plan.
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"I think he (Paul) can see what we’re building," Frewin continued. "We’ve got a serious global expansion plan, professional is in our name, and we’re creating a true sports format. So, from Jake’s perspective, he looks at it and goes, 'Who am I going to work with in the MMA space?'. The obvious choice is the PFL.
"The way we treat fighters - fighter pay is a controversial topic but everyone who fights in the PFL will say it’s a great place to be, we take care of our people. For Jake, I think it’s the perfect home, and as we launch our pay-per-view super fight division, who better to come on board and not just be a voice for the PFL, but get more people into MMA as well.”
