Jake Paul appeared on Theo Von's podcast and stated his intention to fight Nate Diaz under MMA rules if Diaz can defeat Mike Perry. Paul called Diaz the easiest and worst boxer he has ever faced and said he no longer cares about the money, he just wants the fight. He expressed confidence that the bout will happen. Paul had previously fought Diaz in a boxing match, and now appears interested in testing himself in mixed martial arts against the former UFC fighter.
Jake Paul has called out Nate Diaz for an MMA fight, but with a condition attached — Diaz must first get past Mike Perry.
Paul made the statement on Theo Von's podcast, expressing a clear desire to compete against Diaz under mixed martial arts rules rather than in a boxing ring. He was blunt in his assessment of their previous boxing encounter, calling Diaz the easiest and worst boxer he has ever faced. Paul also said he is no longer motivated by money when it comes to this potential matchup — he simply wants the fight to happen and voiced confidence that it eventually will.
Nate Diaz, now 41 years old, is an American veteran who trained out of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team and carries a professional MMA record of 22-13-0. The southpaw stands six feet tall with a 76-inch reach and built his reputation as one of the sport's most durable and submission-dangerous competitors, averaging 1.3 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career. He also brings a consistent striking output of 4.57 significant strikes landed per minute.
Standing in the way of Paul's scenario is Mike Perry, known as "Platinum," who holds a record of 14-8-0 and fights out of an orthodox stance at five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach. The 34-year-old American is an aggressive pressure fighter who lands 4.32 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- Paul's callout sets up a potential MMA crossover bout, a new competitive format for the YouTube-star-turned-boxer
- Diaz's submission threat at 1.3 attempts per 15 minutes would represent a significant style challenge for Paul compared to their boxing meeting
- The fight is contingent entirely on Diaz's result against Perry, keeping the matchup speculative for now
- Perry's own striking volume and forward pressure make him a credible obstacle for Diaz before any Paul fight materializes
