Jake Paul’s MMA debut hinges on one crucial factor: Nate Diaz’s willingness to step into the PFL cage with him.
Paul secured a unanimous decision victory over the former UFC star in their August 2023 clash in Dallas. Since then, Paul, who inked a deal with the PFL for his MMA debut, has been actively pushing for a rematch with Diaz in the world of mixed martial arts.
During a roundtable discussion featuring Paul, Amanda Serrano, and MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, the topic of their PFL debut was broached.
“We’re eager to compete in the PFL, but it seems like our potential opponents are hesitant,” Paul revealed to MMA Fighting. “It’s ironic that Nate Diaz is apprehensive about facing me in MMA. The biggest payday of his career could come from a showdown between him and me in the MMA arena. I’m prepared for it.”
Paul recently outpointed former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a controversial yet immensely profitable main event at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was broadcast on Netflix and drew over 100 million viewers, marking the streaming platform’s first live sports event.
Bidarian affirmed that Paul is open to competing in MMA, provided the right opponent is in place. Currently, Bidarian believes that Diaz is the only one capable of diverting Paul’s attention away from boxing.
“Jake just orchestrated the biggest boxing spectacle in history,” Bidarian noted. “If the right opponent, if Nate Diaz is willing to step up, Jake has always expressed his interest. However, his primary focus remains on boxing.”
Following a video clip from MMA Fighting’s social media platforms catching Diaz’s eye, he responded and agreed to Paul’s challenge with certain stipulations.
“Put pen to paper, Scary, and not a year from now, and not in a subpar organization, Scary,” Diaz demanded.