Jake Paul, fresh off his 10th career boxing victory, is now setting his sights on the world of MMA.
In January 2023, Jake Paul, known as ‘The Problem Child,’ inked a deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). This agreement was intended to help launch the PFL’s new Super Fight series on pay-per-view. Since that announcement, there’s been little news about Paul’s debut in the PFL. However, it seems that the YouTube sensation is close to making his first appearance in the Smart Cage.
After his impressive sixth-round TKO victory over Mike Perry, the BKFC’s renowned ‘King of Violence,’ Jake Paul took to social media to share some exciting news. He hinted that a rematch with Perry could be on the horizon, this time under the PFL banner. Paul wrote on X, “Chopped it up with Mike Perry last night. What a stand up dude. More confidence than most of these fighters. We agreed to run it in PFL when the time is right.”
Boxer Jake Paul Eyes MMA Fight Next With Mike Perry, Open to Bare Knuckle Bout
When asked about a potential rematch with Perry in the realm of bare-knuckle boxing, Paul made his stance clear. If he’s leaving boxing, he’s doing it for MMA. However, he did leave room for a potential fight in Perry’s new Dirty Boxing Championship promotion.
“If I’m stepping out of boxing, it’s going to be PFL,” Paul stated. “After that we can do Dirty Boxing.”
Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship will introduce a unique set of hybrid rules. These bouts will combine elements of boxing with five-ounce gloves and a restricted amount of ground-and-pound. Additionally, elbows and open-palm strikes will be permitted.
Perry explained, “This promotion has been in the works for over a year, and we started this because of my success in bare-knuckle. I feel there are many great fighters who would like to compete in something like this but don’t want to fully dive into bare-knuckle boxing. There are a couple of names that come to mind” (h/t MMA Fighting).
The Dirty Boxing Championship plans to host fights in a smaller, 18-foot ring, with three three-minute rounds for regular bouts and five rounds for championship matches. The weight classes will align with traditional MMA divisions. While a precise launch date is yet to be confirmed, September or October is currently targeted. No official broadcast deal has been announced at this time.
Josh McLean of Kanpai Media believes the new rule set will appeal to casual fans:
“I think this rule set is going to be the most exciting thing for the casual fan base that’s been put together,” McLean remarked.
With these developments, Jake Paul’s foray into MMA is shaping up to be a thrilling addition to his already eventful career.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
