Jorge Masvidal thinks a prediction he made for Jake Paul's fight against Tyron Woodley led to a fallout with the YouTube star.
Masvidal backed his former teammate Woodley to "knock the f***" out of Paul before they fought in August 2021. Paul won a split decision against the former UFC champion and knocked him out just months later in their rematch. Masvidal and Paul were on good terms earlier that year as 'Gamebred' helped the YouTuber boxer prepare for his fight against Ben Askren.
Paul felt insulted when Masvidal backed Woodley in their fight and this led to a rivalry forming between the duo. A fight between them was suggested but it never came to fruition as Masvidal was still under UFC contract. The pair are now seemingly on good terms as Masvidal appeared on Paul's B/S podcast to discuss their fall out.
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"It wasn't really beef, but you started to feel some way after I said things about Woodley beating you," Masvidal said. "Maybe I shouldn't have said this and that like 'My boy is going to knock you out' but obviously that's my boy. I've known Woodley my whole life so obviously, I'm cheering for my dog hard. I think since there, things got a little weird and then just weirder."
'The Problem Child' believes a fight against Masvidal was a possibility after he knocked out Woodley in December 2021, but Masvidal told Paul the UFC wouldn't have pardoned him from his contractual duties to compete in the ring. "I don't remember exactly what happened or what was said," Paul said.
"I think at some point there was an opportunity for us to actually box. I think it made sense from a business standpoint to try and make it happen." Masvidal then replied: "If I am being honest with you, the conversations I had with the UFC they never wanted to let me go and do boxing. They have shut down things of that nature, so I don't think you know how far away we really were from doing something like that."
Paul looks to rebound after his loss to Love Island star Tommy Fury in February when he takes on Masvidal's former opponent Nate Diaz on August 5. The fight marks Diaz's boxing debut and Masvidal believes Paul will be in for a tough night against the UFC legend because of his impressive cardio.
