Logan Paul is already heading into a boxing ring to face Floyd Mayweather Jr. on June 6 in a pay-per-view boxing match on Showtime, but the 26-year-old doesn’t plan on stopping his professional fighting exploits there. In fact, Paul revealed in an interview with Showtime’s Mauro Ranallo on Friday during the telecast of Bellator 259 that he plans on transitioning over to MMA for at least one fight and maybe more
“Yeah, absolutely,” Paul said. “I actually think I’d probably be better at MMA because of my wrestling background.”
Paul fighting in the UFC seems like a strange idea right now, but maybe it could happen one day.
Paul Sees MMA Fights on the Way
Moving over to MMA isn’t just an idea Paul just expressed on a whim either.
Ranallo revealed during that same interview on Showtime that Paul met with Bellator MMA president Scott Coker last year, presumedly about a potential MMA fight.
Paul ended up taking the boxing route instead, but the all-star social media celebrity said he’s sure he’ll find his way into a cage fight soon.
More importantly, he seems to respect MMA as a sport.
“I will say, it is a tough sport. It’s a lot harder than boxing. MMA fighters are legitimate all-around 360 degree fighters. I’ve had some knee issues on both knees…but I can’t not do one MMA fight before I die,” Paul said.
Paul (0-1) is planning to shock the world by beating Mayweather in a boxing ring in their special exhibition eight-round boxing bout this summer, then by taking an MMA fight later down the line.
Actually, he hopes for at least one MMA fight at the minimum.
“I’m going to do at least one [MMA fight]. And if I win? I’ll probably do another,” Paul said.
Could Paul Reach UFC?
Who knows?
If Paul is able to prove himself a good enough fighter over time, maybe one day the brash social media star could find himself standing inside the Octagon across the cage from one of the biggest UFC superstars in the sport.
After all, UFC is the pinnacle of MMA, at least over the last decade or so and probably for the foreseeable future, too.
If Paul becomes a real prizefighter in the MMA world, the highest place he can go is the UFC.
In fact, if he’s serious about it, that has to be his one true goal: facing a UFC star in either a real MMA fight or an exhibition.
So Paul to the UFC seems like a long shot at this point, but stranger things have happened in the topsy-turvy world of combat sports.
Heck, stranger things happened just this year.
Look for no further evidence of that than Paul facing Mayweather in a boxing match on June 6.
Nobody saw that coming. It’s going to happen anyway.
READ NEXT: Randy Couture Opens up About Beef With Dana White
Twitter: @Kelsey_McCarson
YouTube: Real Talk with Kelsey and Rachel
No comments:
Post a Comment