Even if their rematch would be an MMA bout, Jake Paul doubts that Nate Diaz would still risk a fight again with him, especially if it means his entire MMA career.
The two fighters faced in August after former UFC fighter Nate Diaz became a free agent and entered the world of boxing. As his debut, Diaz was set to fight against Paul, who managed to defeat him via a 10-round unanimous decision.
After his defeat, Real Fight Incorporated, Diaz’s own combat sports promotion company, shared a poster of him and Paul for a rematch on December 15. Paul and his team, nonetheless, denied it, with Paul calling the move “pretty desperate” and a form of “begging.”
“Wanting to make money but not actually wanting to make things happen,” Paul told MMA Junkie in an interview this week. “We’re ready, MMA, end of 2024, $10 million, which is more than he’s ever made for an MMA fight – ever. He’s sitting there asking for more money basically drunk tweeting random sh*t and random fight posters, making himself look like a fool.”
Despite offering numbers and a year, Paul is “100%” certain that a match between them won’t materialize. As the YouTuber stressed, even when he’s the one jumping into the familiar realm of Diaz, the MMA fighter won’t risk his career.
“I truly believe that he knows it would be a really tough fight for him, and I think that’s the thing for him where he’s like, ‘Damn, do I risk my whole MMA reputation by giving this kid a chance here?’” Paul said.
For now, Paul’s next fight will be with professional boxer Andre August on December 15 at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. The eight-round 200-pound cruiserweight bout against the unfamous fighter should help Paul better achieve his goal of being recognized as a genuine professional boxer in the industry, but some are doubting the pairing. Commentator Sergio Mora was one of the first to question it, saying August is a “paper fighter” who “hasn’t fought in 4 yrs and has fought nothing but ‘non winners.’”
