Jake Paul stated on Theo Von's podcast that he plans to fight Nate Diaz under MMA rules if Diaz defeats Mike Perry. Paul made the declaration emphatically, swearing on his mother's life and calling Diaz "the easiest and worst boxer I've ever fought." He expressed his desire to compete with Diaz in mixed martial arts, stating he has enough money and doesn't care about the financial aspects. Paul believes the MMA bout will happen, setting the condition that Diaz must first get past Perry. The statement marks Paul's continued interest in transitioning to MMA competition after his boxing matches.
Jake Paul has issued a challenge to Nate Diaz for an MMA fight, but attached a condition: Diaz must first defeat Mike Perry before the bout becomes a reality.
Paul made the declaration on Theo Von's podcast, swearing on his mother's life to emphasize his sincerity. He dismissed Diaz as, in his words, "the easiest and worst boxer I've ever fought," while simultaneously expressing genuine interest in testing himself against the Stockton native under mixed martial arts rules. Paul added that money is not a factor in his decision, stating he has enough of it and does not care about the financial side of the matchup.
Nate Diaz, now 41 years old, carries a professional record of 22 wins and 13 losses and built his reputation across years of high-profile competition. The southpaw out of Stockton stands six feet tall with a 76-inch reach and has averaged 4.57 significant strikes landed per minute over his career, complementing a ground game that produces 1.3 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He fights out of the Cesar Gracie Fight Team.
Standing between Diaz and that potential MMA date is Mike Perry, known as "Platinum." The 34-year-old orthodox striker holds a 14-8 record and brings pressure-heavy boxing, landing 4.32 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy. Perry stands five-foot-ten with a 71-inch reach and competes as an independent.
Why it matters
- Paul is publicly signaling a genuine interest in transitioning from boxing to MMA competition
- A Diaz victory over Perry would set up a high-profile crossover fight with significant name recognition on both sides
- Diaz's submission-heavy grappling background would present a stylistic challenge Paul has not yet faced in professional competition
