Jake Paul Signs Contract With PFL, Will Compete in ‘Super Fight’ Division, Offers Challenge to Nate Diaz
Jake Paul has officially signed his first MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League.
The 25-year-old, who defeated former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in his most recent bout this past October to improve to 6-0 in the squared circle, now owns an equity share of the MMA company. Paul is expected to compete in the Super Fight division, which will air two cards on pay-per-view in 2023.
Nakisa Bidarian, Paul’s business partner and a former CFO of the UFC, also owns an equity share of the PFL now.
The New York Times was the first to report the news Thursday.
Fighters who compete in the Super Fight division are promised at least 50 percent of the pay-per-view revenue. According to the report, the division could also feature “influencers and celebrities who show some level of fighting proficiency with bouts between established professional fighters.”
“You’re not a prisoner anymore to UFC,” PFL co-founder and chairman Donn Davis told The New York Times. “You can now choose UFC. or PFL, but what makes PFL different is we’re coming out with a true economic partnership for fighters.”
Paul is targeting a clash with Nate Diaz in boxing, and then facing off under MMA rules six months later.
“I would beat Nate Diaz up in a MMA fight,” Paul said in the report. “There’s nothing he could do. To me, I’ve always felt like I’ve jumped in the deep end, even in boxing, maybe besides, like, Ben Askren.
“The biggest thing for me would be getting the kicks down. But I’m going to start now, moving forward with some extra time I have within this camp. I’m going to put in some extra time, rolling around doing some jujitsu and learning some kicks.”
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