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A reigning UFC champion is not playing games with YouTuber Jake Paul.
Undisputed UFC welterweight king Kamaru Usman and “The Problem Child” have gone back and forth through traditional and social media the past week. Their beef started a few days after Usman knocked out Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. Paul was in attendance at the event supporting Masvidal.
GettyKamaru Usman punches Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, Usman said he plans to fight two more times in 2021, however the 170-pound division needs to show him something first by producing what he believes is a true top contender.
In the meantime, “The Nigerian Nightmare” said he could fill his time boxing “Internet guys.”
“If these guys don’t show me anything, maybe I’ll go pull out one of these guys who think they can fight, they can box, one of these Internet guys and beat the s*** out of them,” Usman said.
Then, “The Nigerian Nightmare” took aim at Paul, saying he would “take care” of The Problem Child.
The same day, Paul took to Twitter, saying that he accepted Usman’s boxing challenge and noted The Nigerian Nightmare will need UFC president Dana White’s permission to lace up some boxing gloves.
“Challenge accepted,” Paul tweeted. “[Usman] if your boss Dana gives you permission to box me and make more money than you ever have, let me know and we can lace them up. I promise it will be your biggest pay day.”
Challenge accepted.
@USMAN84kg if your boss Dana gives you permission to box me and make more money than you ever have, let me know and we can lace them up. I promise it will be your biggest pay day.
A few hours later, The Nigerian Nightmare responded: “Keep making your money young man, and stay on that side. I ain’t no Disney kid and I don’t play fighting.”
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Usman Told Paul: ‘This Is How People Truly Get Hurt’
GettyKamaru Usman poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at UFC APEX on February 12, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A day later, Paul responded to Usman saying he wasn’t a “Disney kid,” sharing a picture of what appears to be Usman posing with his daughter and Mickey Mouse at a Disney amusement park.
Paul wrote, “So let’s get this straight: 1. Usman calls me out to fight on TMZ sports interview 2. I quickly accept the challenge to fight and will give him biggest pay day of career ($10m+) 3. Usman then backs out of fight because I’m ‘a Disney kid’ 4. Usman visits Disney world.”
So let’s get this straight:
1. Usman calls me out to fight on TMZ sports interview
2. I quickly accept the challenge to fight and will give him biggest pay day of career ($10m+)
3. Usman then backs out of fight because I’m “a Disney kid”
4. Usman visits Disney world
The Nigerian Nightmare waited over a week to respond to Paul.
On Wednesday morning, Usman took to Twitter to reply with a scathing threat: “I understand you think this is a game which is probably why you don’t realize that this is how people Truly get hurt. I don’t play fighting and I can change your life in the worst way.”
A little while later, Paul snapped back at Usman, sharing a doctored photo of himself choking out the welterweight champ and writing: “Hi I’m Jake Paul and you’re watching Disney Channel.”
The Nigerian Nightmare responded, challenging Paul to fight him inside the UFC’s Octagon instead of a boxing ring. He tweeted, “Does this picture confirm that you @jakepaul are willing to get inside the @ufc octagon and do this to me or are you just posting for clout?”
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According to Usman’s Manager, the Boxing Match Would Generate ‘3-4 Million’ Buys
Usman’s manager Ali Abdelaziz spoke with TMZ Sports recently about the potential boxing match between his client and Paul. He said that with the UFC getting behind it, the match could do north of 3 million PPV buys.
“Dana White has to have the microphone, he has to be the promoter,” Abdelaziz said via the outlet.
“[Dana’s] gonna get the UFC monster machine behind it and it’s gonna sell I think, this fight did 3, 4 million Pay-Per-View buys, right, but on UFC’s platform.”
READ NEXT: Fighters React to Kamaru Usman’s KO of Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261