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Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell said that he’d be open to signing a deal to fight social media superstar Jake Paul.
The 53-year-old retired UFC Hall of Famer was recently asked by Inside Fighting if he was interested in fighting “The Problem Child,” who recently announced that he signed a multi-fight deal to compete in mixed martial arts under the Professional Fighters League banner.
And in short, with MMA now on the table “The Iceman” would gladly come out of retirement to take on Paul. But, he doesn’t think Paul is up to the task. “Come on, he doesn’t want to fight me in MMA,” Liddell said. “He doesn’t want to fight me at all. But, that’s alright. Good luck with it.”
“I’m retired,” Liddell continued. “I’m 53, man. But again, he’s got no chance.”
When asked if would sign a fight contract to fight Paul, The Iceman replied: “Oh yeah, for sure. If they offer me enough money — yeah, sure.”
This isn’t the first time Paul has been in Liddell’s crosshairs. The former 205-pound king has called The Problem Out on multiple occasions to compete in boxing, telling TMZ in 2021: “He’s not good enough to fight me.”
Liddell Hasn’t Fought for Over 5 Years, Ended Career Going 1-6
Liddell last competed in 2017 when he came out of retirement to battle ex-UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz in a trilogy match. It was The Iceman’s first fight in eight years and unfortunately for him, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” extended Liddell’s knockout losing streak to four. Liddell hasn’t fought since.
He has a professional mixed martial arts record of 21-9, boasting 13 wins via KO/TKO. Liddell holds victories over several notable names from his era, including Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva, Jeremy Horn and Alistair Overeem. On the other end, Paul has never competed in MMA. He has a 6-0 professional boxing record, which includes wins over the likes of Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley.
Liddell’s final stint as an active fighter wasn’t less than triumphant, to say the least. He went 1-6 in his final seven MMA matches, which included losses to Rich Franklin, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Rashad Evans.
Paul Wants to Increase Fighter Pay in the MMA Industry
In a statement provided to Heavy from the PFL, Paul said that his MMA journey with the promotion won’t be just about him stepping into the Smart Cage. Taking on the role of Head of Fighter Advocacy for the company, The Problem Child has a vision of creating opportunities for fighters to earn more money in an industry notorious for underpaying athletes.
“I’ve proven myself in and out of the boxing ring and now I am going to do the same in MMA, and there is no limit to the positive impact I can make on the sport,” Paul said. “I plan to enter the PFL SmartCage and once again show the world that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. Outside of the cage, equal fighter-pay and advocating for female fighters has been my passion, and I am aligned with PFL to evolve the sport. I believe in PFL, their mission, and what they have accomplished in a very short period of time.
“That is why I chose to partner with PFL exclusively, both as a fighter and a businessman. As Head of Fighter Advocacy, I will consistently promote PFL fighters and I invite all top MMA fighters, both men and women, to join the PFL and get a payday like they’ve never had before.”
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