UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland predicted how a fight against pro boxer and social media influencer Jake Paul would go.
Strickland has been very vocal in his criticisms of Paul, and he did not hold back on the former YouTube star when asked about him on Saturday during the Brand Risk Promotions 14 event at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Sean Strickland Predicts How a Jake Paul Fight Would Go
Speaking to Nina Drama, Strickland shared his honest thoughts on how a fight between him and Paul would go.
“I’d (expletive) beat the (expletive) out of Jake Paul,” Strickland said. “I’d (expletive) beat the (expletive) out of him. Jake Paul lost to pretty much a reality TV star named Tommy (Fury).”
Strickland would surely be a favorite over Paul in whatever combat sport they fought in, especially if it was in MMA, where he would be able to go to the ground. But even if it were a boxing match, you would still figure Strickland would be the favorite to defeat Paul if there were betting odds hung for the match.
Though Paul has more pro boxing experience, Strickland is one of the top boxers in mixed martial arts, and there is no doubt he would have the superior cardio, too. Paul does have a lot of KO power, but Strickland would have the advantages anywhere else the fight went, so he would surely be a gigantic favorite to beat Paul if they ever fought, though the odds of that ever happening are slim to none, given Strickland is under UFC contract for the foreseeable future.
Sean Strickland Waiting on Next Opponent
Though he took quite a bit of damage in his war against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 earlier this month, Strickland looked like he had recovered well, as he didn’t show any visible signs of facial damage while on the stream for Brand Risk Promotions 14.
We do not know yet who Strickland will be fighting, or when he will be fighting, but you would have to imagine that the UFC wants to book him by the end of the year for his first title defense in his second reign as the UFC middleweight champion.
It will be interesting to see if the UFC books Strickland against Chimaev in a rematch or if they book him against top contender Nassourdine Imavov in what would also be a rematch.
By merit, Imavov deserves the title shot more, since he’s won five fights in a row and has been waiting a long time to fight for the belt. But the UFC is in the business of booking the biggest fights possible, and a matchup against Chimaev is a bigger fight for both Strickland and the UFC.
From a marketing perspective, the rematch makes more sense between these two rivals, especially if Chimaev sticks around at 185 lbs instead of moving up to 205 lbs, as his original plan entailed. We’ll see what the UFC ends up doing here, but don’t be surprised either way.
Sean Strickland Predicts How a Jake Paul Fight Would Go