Getty Dana White & Jake Paul
UFC president Dana White recently issued a challenge to social-media-sensation-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
White and “The Problem Child” have been at odds over the past year. After Paul burst onto the combat sports scene with his KO of NBA point guard Nate Robinson in November 2020, The Problem Child has frequently taken shots at White for fighter pay, as well as calling him a “coke head.”
Paul holds victories over two former UFC fighters as well, knocking out and decisioning ex-UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and TKOing former ONE and Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren.
When he was featured on “The FIGHT with Teddy Atlas” recently, White spoke about Paul and challenged him to be tested for steroids. And in turn, White will be tested for cocaine.
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul,” White said via MMA Junkie. “This guy keeps saying that I’m a coke head. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two.”
Several combat sports names, including former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping, have shared their suspicions of The Problem Child taking steroids. When Paul was supposed to box Tommy Fury, The Problem Child declined to be tested by VADA ahead of the match, which sent up red flags with some industry professionals.
The Problem Child has denied taking any performance-enhancing drugs.
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White Says There’s ‘No Scenario’ Fighters Under UFC Contract Will Box Paul
GettyJake Paul fights Tyron Woodley on December 18, 2021.
Paul has multiple UFC superstars on his hit list, specifically former two-division UFC champ Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. After knocking out Woodley earlier this month during a Showtime PPV, The Problem Child challenged Diaz and Masvidal, who were both in attendance for the event.
“Y’all are some b****** for leaving this arena,” Paul said during his in-ring interview with Ariel Helwani after the match. “I know you don’t want that s***. I’ll take out both of y’all next. Get out of your contracts with daddy Dana. I’mma f*** them up too.”
Well, the UFC president has no plans of allowing Masvidal or Diaz to box Paul while they’re under contract with the promotion.
“No (scenario I’d let Diaz or Masvidal box Paul while under UFC contract),” White said. “You notice how he wants to fight f****** everybody that’s not in his weight class, guys that are older and all this bulls***. Go fight a boxer. Go hump somebody else’s leg, you goofball.”
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Paul vs. Woodley 2 PPV Sales ‘Bombed,’ According to Recent Report
According to DAZN’s Steven Muehlhausen, The Problem Child and Woodley’s rematch sold poorly, doing under 65,000 buys via terrestrial TV.
“Sources: Have learned that Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 ‘bombed’ on cable/satelitte PPV,” Muehlhausen tweeted. “Numbers are below November’s #AEW Full Gear which did under 65,000 buys on terrestrial TV. Streaming numbers are unknown. #boxing.”
If the numbers are true, Paul and Showtime will likely be quite disappointed with the PPV buy number. The Problem Child signed a multiple-fight deal with Showtime earlier this year and boxed Woodley twice for the network. It’s unclear how many fights, if any, Paul has left with Showtime.
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