PFL chief Dan Hardy has highlighted a good fight for Jake Paul’s MMA debut with the company.
Paul signed with the PFL in January last year and was originally expected to compete towards the back end of 2023.
However, we are now in June 2024 and Paul looks no closer to entering the Octagon.
There were initial talks for him to face Nate Diaz in MMA after defeating the UFC icon in boxing.
But Diaz couldn’t come to terms with ‘The Problem Child’.
Since then, it has been radio silent on Paul’s MMA endeavours although Hardy believes a fight against former foe Tyron Woodley could entice him into finally stepping in the cage.
“If we’re doing it, the one that makes the most sense is Tyron Woodley,” Hardy told MMA Fighting.
“He’s been commentating with the PFL, he does a great job with that. Every time I see him, we have a very frosty handshake.
“I feel like he still wants to punch me in the face. Of course, he’s got that knockout loss to Jake Paul.
“If I’m Tyron Woodley, I’m putting myself at the front of the line to welcome Jake Paul into MMA. I think that’s the kind of opponent Jake Paul could be enticed by.”
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Paul has fought Woodley twice in boxing. In their inaugural encounter, back in August 2021, Paul beat the former UFC welterweight champion via split decision before brutally knocking him out in their rematch four months later.
Last year, when it looked as though Paul and Diaz were rematching in MMA, Woodley insisted he was far more deserving of the opportunity.
“If you really, really want to prove that you can do it in my world, you fight the No. 1 guy in that world,” Woodley told MMA Fighting.
“Nate has never touched gold, never been close to gold ever. Neither has [Derek] Brunson and I saw some other people barking.
“Everybody wants to jump on the bandwagon. You kind of sound like groupies. Everybody wants to fight Jake.
“Remember, I never asked to fight Jake. I was staying out the mix. I was cornering Ben Askren.”
If Woodley still feels the same then it would be an easy fight to make but it won’t happen until at least next year with Paul currently tied up by boxing bouts against Mike Perry on July 20 and Mike Tyson on November 15.
