UFC legend Chuck Liddell has declared Jake Paul would have "no chance" if the pair were to fight after being asked if he would welcome the boxer to the MMA cage.
YouTuber-turned-fighter Paul is a controversial figure in combat sports, and has confirmed that he will make the switch from the cage to the ring as part of a new deal with PFL. And during a recent interview it was suggested to Liddell that he come out if retirement and fight the social media star who at 26-years-old is less than half his age.
Liddell, 53, hasn't fought since 2018, when he made an horrific attempt at a comeback against long-time rival Tito Ortiz who knocked him out within a round. And he hasn't won in any form since since 2007, over a decade-and-a-half ago, making a bout against Paul a wildly unlikely prospect.
“Come on, he doesn’t want to fight me in MMA,” Liddell told Inside Fighting. “He doesn’t want to fight me at all. But, that’s alright. Good luck with it. I’m retired, I’m 53, but again, he’s got no chance.” Asked if he would sign a contract to welcome Paul into MMA, the legendary fighter added: “Oh yeah, for sure. If they offer me enough money, yeah, sure.”
Paul has already called out more active fighters, most notably the recently released Nate Diaz. He wants a two-fight deal in which the pair box first before he trains for six months and does a rematch in the PFL 'Smart Cage', although it seems more likely that Diaz will instead decide to partner with Rizin in Japan.
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He is expected to fight Tommy Fury in a boxing fight within the next few months, and also appears to be pencilled in for a December ring date with KSI. But after that, he seems to be keen on getting in the cage under the PFL banner, announcing earlier this month that he is coming to MMA.
Should Fury pull out of their scheduled meeting for a third time, it's likely that Paul will face Mike Perry, who is a former UFC fighter and 3-0 in bare-knuckle boxing. The pair sparred together in 2021, and appear to have bad blood that could lead to Perry becoming his first opponent in the cage.
Meanwhile, Liddell has been out of action since that defeat to Ortiz, rarely ever entertaining the idea of another comeback after his poor showing. The bout took place on the one-and-only Golden Boy MMA show in California with Oscar De La Hoya failing to launch a competing brand for the UFC.
