Without a doubt, Jake Paul is the biggest villain in the view of MMA fans. He is well-known for having an outrageous attitude, being an expert at online trolls, and having an undefeated boxing record versus non-boxers.
Over the past few years, Paul, often known as “The Problem Child,” has unquestionably become one of the most well-known figures in combat sports.
Paul makes die-hard MMA fans writhe and groan in every way. He comes off as a villain because of the way he acts, speaks, and conducts himself. Paul is also known to have a great interest in betting on his fights.
He recently won a bet against Anderson Silva. This will see the pair start a fighters union. During the past few months, Paul has shown that there is a real person inside the contentious character he puts on for the cameras.
Jake Paul signs for MMA
Recent news of the boxer-turned-YouTube celebrity signing a multi-year contract with the PFL caused a stir. The contract will enable him to transition to MMA. Paul wants to fight former UFC champion Nate Diaz when he makes his MMA debut in 2023.
Most fans believe he is a great addition to MMA despite his character. He offers a fresh look to sports betting specifically in boxing. You can now expect to bet on his MMA fights on various betting sites. You can find the full list here of the best boxing betting sites.
Here are some of the reasons why Paul is great for MMA:
Jake Paul will attract a new wave of fans to the MMA
The popularity of Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey among individuals who wouldn’t often watch MMA is one of the factors contributing to their success as box office drivers. There were not many Irish MMA supporters before “The Notorious.” Additionally, it was unheard of to find casual spectators who only watch MMA when one or two competitors fought.
Fans who would have ordinarily watched other activities or none at all were attracted by the Irishman. His demeanor and charisma caught their interest. In the same way, Ronda Rousey attracted so much publicity that she briefly became a Hollywood mainstay. She inspired an unprecedented wave of female MMA fans. To see Rowdy battle, mothers came with their small daughters.
Jake Paul won’t likely be able to duplicate their PPV success, but he can profit from it. He draws in a particular audience that otherwise wouldn’t be interested in MMA.
He leaves a younger generation in his wake. He can entice them into the MMA scene. People who use Tik Tok and YouTube and grew up in the digital era are all familiar with him.
There might be a change in the pay structure in the UFC
Jake Paul is an outspoken supporter of increased fighter compensation. He has consistently attacked the contentious pay system of the UFC. UFC President Dana White is a regular target of Jake Paul’s. The fact that the youngest Paul brother has now been signed to the PFL draws even more attention to the problems with the UFC.
Paul previously sat down with Francis Ngannou to discuss issues with the UFC’s wage system, and Francis is probably headed to the PFL. Though Jake Paul was already a well-known personality in the MMA community, his current status inside the UFC’s compensation scheme makes him even more significant.
The PFL will be a real option for other fighters, and if he continues to raise awareness of this problem while doing so, MMA as a whole will gain. The UFC has been unwilling to pay the underpaid fighters a higher proportion than they are entitled to.
His signing will diversify the UFC
The fact that the UFC hosts the majority of MMA’s PPV attractions is one of the organization’s advantages. But there has been a modest paradigm change as a result of recent occurrences. There have been rumors that Nate Diaz would join the PFL after he recently departed the UFC.
Jake Paul promptly made the PFL aware of his signing. The enthusiasm that this sparked increased even more when it became known that Francis Ngannou decided not to extend his deal with the UFC. Although he has not yet agreed to a new promotion, a member of his family was spotted in a social media photo sporting a PFL jersey.
It’s encouraging for the promotion because PPV viewers seem to be migrating to the PFL. Jake Paul will draw a younger and more modern breed of MMA fans than the PFL otherwise wouldn’t be able to. It elevates the group to the status of a must-see event and sporadic UFC substitute.
There are potential revenue-generating matchups in the cards
In the end, mixed martial arts is a business. Every promotion’s primary objective is to increase sales. The PFL is the same in that regard. The promoter can only arrange so many major PPV fights per year. However, a fight between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz, for example, might be very profitable.
The best player from Stockton is presently unattached. He is biding his time and weighing all of his options. An example of this is agreeing to two fights with Paul. Jake Paul publicly challenged Nate Diaz, another fighter, with others like Conor McGregor.
Paul proposed a two-fight package to Diaz that included a boxing contest and an MMA battle. If such a match takes place, it will be the PFL’s greatest fruitful undertaking. It will draw enough attention to the promotion to make it a more viable choice for fighters and fans.
Paul will become a lucrative fighter that others will pursue if he can boost the profile of the brand and become a larger PPV attraction by defeating Diaz.
Jake Paul will acquire credibility and recognition
Last but not least, the idea that Jake Paul isn’t facing top-tier competition has persisted throughout his career. Given that Nate Robinson is a basketball player rather than a boxer, his infamous knockout victory over Robinson was disregarded. The opponent in his next match was Ben Askren.
Ben was a wrestler before he became a retired mixed martial fighter and former world champion. He was also considerably smaller, older, and had recently undergone extensive hip surgery than Jake Paul. Both that victory and his triumph over Tyron Woodley were disregarded.
Many have advocated for Paul to take against a boxer rather than MMA opponents outside of his comfort zone. He wasn’t treated with the respect he wanted, not even after defeating Anderson Silva.
But once he signs with the PFL to start his MMA career, it will give him legitimacy as a fighter. Nothing much can be said about his credibility as a fighter now that he’ll be competing against mixed martial artists on their turf.
