Jake Paul isn’t shy about his opinions – and his latest comments on MMA wrestling make that clear once again.
During a recent Bloomberg Television interview discussing the merger between MVP and PFL, the 29-year-old made a bold claim about his own wrestling background and how it stacks up against current MMA competitors:
I have a wrestling background. Division one. When I see these MMA athletes wrestling, I’m actually embarrassed for them.
They wouldn’t last a minute in Ohio Division One high school wrestling.
Paul’s wrestling background ties into his own MMA ambitions, which he plans to pursue next year once his jaw fully heals from his most recent boxing match.
Through his promotional company MVP, Paul has already made a notable mark on boxing, including bringing the first professional sporting event to Netflix with his fight against Mike Tyson.
The merger itself goes beyond business expansion, with Paul and Martin emphasizing a “fighter first” approach that includes committing at least 50% of revenue to athletes, a significant jump from standard industry practice.
That model has already reshaped women’s boxing, with fighters like Amanda Serrano moving from earning a few thousand dollars per fight to becoming millionaires.
Asked about competing directly with the UFC, Paul didn’t hold back:
It’s war as far as I’m concerned. We’re here to make MMA great again.