YouTuber-turned-boxer and UFC Jimmy Hoffa wannabe Jake Paul recently raised eyebrows when he claimed he would be ready to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in MMA within two or three years.
Khabib retired from the Octagon in early 2021, but has since bought and commenced promoting his own MMA promotion, Eagle FC. Khabib laughed off the suggestion that Jake Paul could pose even a remote challenge to him in the cage.
Khabib Laughs at Prospect of Jake Paul Fight: “I Don’t Think So.”
Speaking to the Full Send podcast, Khabib said Paul would barely last minutes against him. “If he wants to fight in MMA — because he never fights in MMA — he doesn’t have experience but we can give him a chance.
We can sign him. [A fight] with me? Come on. Jake Paul. I don’t think so. In MMA, [he would last] a couple minutes.”
Khabib Nurmagomedov, during his reign as UFC lightweight champion, was widely considered one of the greatest fighters ever to grace the Octagon. His dominant style was built around brutal, efficient wrestling and a “mauling” ground-and-pound game. He boasted nineteen finishes by the end of his career, eleven of which came via submission.
Khabib retired with a 29-0 record, undefeated, after successfully defending his title against Justin Gaethje. Jake Paul, he says, it late to the party. “He’s late a little bit, cause I am finished.”
Khabib was no slouch on the feet, and he can appreciate that Jake Paul’s boxing ability has improved over the course of his short career. “I watch his sparring or some video he was doing MMA with someone. He has to learn a lot.
On boxing, he knows how to punch. He’s not bad in the boxing game. Anybody can box. But you can never wrestle, this is completely different. I think if he wants, we can give him a chance. We can sign him. We can pay him. We’ll see.”
Ever since Khabib’s retirement, rumors of a return to competition have swirled, but the former champ remains committed to his new ventures. It seems that fighting is firmly in his past, and Khabib remains focused on bringing Eagle FC to a new level.
“There is a lot of challenges, even right now. Like Charles Oliveira, he is very good, too. There is always going to be some champions with me or without me. But who cares? I am finished now.
I have my own promotion. If somebody wants a challenge, I’m going to give you guys a good platform. Come and join with me in Eagle FC and I’m going to find you guys a good opponent and let’s go.”
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