‘The Challenge’ Star Is Ready for Paulie Calafiore: ‘Go For a Knockout’

Paulie Califiore

Instagram, MTV Three-time veteran of MTV's "The Challenge," Paulie Calafiore.

In the main event of Fight Night 15: Celebrity Net Fights 2, two “The Challenge” alumni will meet inside the boxing ring.

On December 11, 2021, three-time veteran Paulie Calafiore will take on rookie Ed Eason in a three-round clash. Fans haven’t seen Paulie compete on the show since 2019’s “World of the Worlds 2” when he made the final on Team USA.

Ed rose to reality TV fame when he appeared on the first season of Netflix’s “The Circle.” He made his debut on “The Challenge” this past season when he replaced Nam Vo in the second episode of “Spies, Lies & Allies.”

Fight Night 15: Celebrity Net Fights 2

InstagramFight Night 15: Celebrity Net Fights 2

Heavy.com’s Stephen McCaugherty recently spoke with Ed about his upcoming boxing bout with Paulie, as well as his time on “The Challenge,” and the interview can be listened to below:

Follow the Heavy on The Challenge Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors and content!


Ed Plans to Be the ‘Bigger, Better Dude’ on Fight Night

During the interview, Ed explained how the fight came together and how he expects the fight with Paulie to go. Ed confessed that he doesn’t have any boxing experience, but he grew up doing Taekwondo, primarily a kicking martial art, so he’s had experience in a combat sport setting.

“They reached out to me, I know that they did one event before this,” Ed said. “And they said, ‘Ed, do you want to participate in this reality boxing event?’ And I’m real yes-man, so I just kind of say yes to everything. So I’m like, ‘Oh hell yeah, boxing, let’s do it!’ But I don’t have any boxing experience.

“I come from a Taekwondo background that I’ve done my whole life. Completely different style of fighting, but at least I had some experience in that realm of being one on one against somebody else.”

Ed said he’s taken the boxing training seriously and plans to be the “bigger, better dude” on fight night. Ed. who said some believe he’s the underdog, expects to use his toughness and heart to outlast Paulie.

“Since I found out that I’m going to be stepping in the ring, I actually got real serious with my boxing training,” the reality TV star continued. “I joined a gym, I got a coach. I’m kind of a dog, I’m not gonna lie. I got a lot of heart and I got a lot of fight. I can hit hard.

“I’m not the biggest guy as you can see on “The Challenge.” I’m kind of short. But I mean, me and Paulie both are. We are pretty much the same size, so it works out perfect.

“But I think he ain’t gonna be ready. I feel like some people think I might be the underdog in this fight, but I don’t know. I think come fight day, I’m definitely going to be the bigger, better dude.”


Ed Predicts He Will KO Paulie in the Third Round

Ed said in the interview that he thinks Paulie will rush out in the first round “guns blazing.” But he also plans on the three-time “Challenge” veteran to tire himself out.

“If I can just make it through that initial storm, I think he’s going to come out guns blazing,” Ed said. “And kind of quickly kind of die out and lose that gas tank. So I think I’ll be able to really lay it on him.”

Ed also said he wants the boxing match to go long, although he thinks he has the ability to knock out Paulie in the first frame.

“I kind of want it to go all three rounds,” Ed said. “I’ve got some heavy hands, so I think if I wanted to, I could definitely boom, end it round one. But I think I want to go dance around, you know, I want to make this a fight.

“I want to see what he’s got. I want to show people what I got. So I kind of want to make this a real fight. Obviously, boxing is a point match, like, whoever scores the most points, you’re gonna win. But, I think I could go for a knockout here. I got heavy fricken hands.

Ed then gave his prediction for the fight. And if it comes true, it’ll be a rough night for Paulie.

“I think maybe a third-round knockout,” he said. “I think we’ll let it go three rounds. And then when it’s time, it’s time and we’re just gonna end it, boom, KO, game over.”

READ NEXT: ‘The Challenge’ Johnny Bananas & Fans React to ‘Spies, Lies & Allies’ Episode 12