MMA

SNOOP DOGG said ‘Dana White, where’s my money at?’ after Jake Paul knocked out Ben Askren – as the rapper won his $2million bet. YouTuber Paul closed the show with a dramatic right hand in the first round against Askren, who retired from the UFC in 2019.
Snoop Dogg and YouTuber Jake PaulCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Jake Paul knocked out ex-UFC star Ben AskrenCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Beforehand, UFC president White told Mike Tyson he would be willing to bet $1m the social media star lost.
Paul, 24, and rap royalty Snoop Dogg, 49, asked to up the wager to $2m – though their call was never asked.
But it still did not stop the West Coast star from calling out the UFC boss and campaigning for his proposed winnings.
Snoop Dogg said: “Dana White, where’s my money at?”
Paul moved to 3-0 in his professional boxing career and beat his first ever experienced fighter.
He said: “I told y’all I was gonna do it in the first round.
“I told y’all I’m a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I’ve gotta prove myself that this is for real.”
Afterwards, Paul dedicated the win to his bodyguard Shamir Bolivar, who sadly passed away this month.

“It’s been four months I’ve been in training camp every day, I deserve that s***.
“This is the craziest moment of my life. I told y’all I was gonna do it in the first round.
“I told y’all I’m a real fighter, I don’t know how many times I’ve gotta prove myself that this is for real.
“This is for Shadow, my security guard who passed away ten days ago.
“He told me I would knock him out in the first round, he said he had a vision, a dream.
“This has been the hardest ten days of my life, I had to hold it together to keep this fight going and I’m just honoured to be here.”
Ben Askren knocked out by Jake PaulCredit: Getty More

UFC legend Frank Mir was beaten by Steve Cunningham on Jake Paul’s undercard. The former cruiserweight boxing champion welcomed the ex-UFC star to the ring as part of a crossover attraction on Triller’s ‘Fight Club’.
UFC legend Frank Mir was beaten by Steve CunninghamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Steve Cunningham won on Jake Paul’s undercardCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Mir, 41, was due to face American great Antonio Tarver, 52, but the veteran was not cleared to make his comeback.
Instead, Cunningham, 44, who last fought in 2017, filled in as a replacement.
And the one-time IBF titleist did not have many problems outboxing Mir – making his ring debut – over six rounds.
Cunningham is most recognisable among British fans for his 2013 fight with Tyson Fury, 32, having dropped but lost to the Gypsy King.
And despite his four-year hiatus from the ring, Cunningham revealed he was preparing for the fight in the same way he did before fighting Fury.
He said: “He’s competed at a high level in the UFC, and that itself makes him prepared for our fight
“He’s a warrior and a champion. For anybody who thinks this is easy or that I’m going to breeze through him, I don’t think like that.
“In the words of my great late trainer Brother Naazim [Richardson,] ‘you take everybody seriously.’

“That’s Tyson Fury right there. I’m about to fight Tyson Fury again. That’s the mindset that I’m going through.” 
Despite filling in for Tarver at the last minute, Cunningham revealed he found the comeback easier than expected.
He said: “For me, the process is simple. I’m a two-time world champion. I’m always in the gym. I’m always in shape.
“That’s the goal — to die at 100 years old in shape. You buckle down, go to the gym, train hard and push.
“Even short notice, it’s just a few notches. Adjustments here and there, we’re ready.
“A lot of people have been saying, ‘I’m retired.’ I haven’t retired. I still want to fight a few times before I retire and pass the torch to my children.”
Jake Paul and Ben Askren weigh in ahead of hugely anticipated bout and face-off for the final time More

LOGAN PAUL mocked Ben Askren and said anyone who thinks the retired UFC welterweight will beat his brother Jake are ‘f***ing morons’. Jake faces the former Olympic wrestler tonight in Atlanta with opinions divided on how the clash of styles and experience will unfold.
Ben Askren faces YouTuber Jake PaulCredit: Instagram @triller
Logan Paul took a swipe at retired UFC star Ben AskrenCredit: Instagram @loganpaul
But big brother Logan, 26, already has his mind made up, and referenced Askren’s physique on the scales.
He said: “I get it, guys I like Ben Askren. We like him, he’s a good guy, he’s funny, he’s entertaining, great personality.
“But if you think for one f***ing second, that this guy is going to beat my brother tomorrow, you’re a f***ing moron.
“Straight up. Like y’all thought and afterwards everyone’s going to be like, ‘Oh, we should have seen it coming’.
“No s***. You’re crazy.”
Both scaled 191lb (13st 6lb) but Paul, 24, looked significantly leaner than Askren, 36, who retired from the UFC in 2019.
The YouTuber took a swipe at his opponent’s body, and revealed he will dedicate the fight to his bodyguard Shamir Bolivar, who sadly passed away this month.
Paul said: “I see a guy who’s underestimating me, I see a guy who is taking this as a joke and I see a guy who said, ‘I have to take a s***’ during the face-off.

“This is the last 24 hours we will all have to hear Ben Askren. This one means a lot for me, this one is for Shadow.
“I don’t believe he makes it out of two rounds; look at the guy, he has a beer belly so he clearly didn’t take training camp seriously.
“We all did the talking and the entertainment s*** but now it’s time to let the fists fly.”
Jake Paul says he is showing ‘signs of brain disease’ but ‘putting mental health on line’ to train for Ben Askren fight More

JAKE PAUL has put the fight world on notice with his brash arrogance and unlimited self-confidence. Despite having only beaten YouTuber ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul has done so in style.
Jake Paul has won his first two pro fights by KOCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And the thunder he appears to be stealing from boxing and MMA’s top attractions has irked several of them.
Paul has made it clear his intention is to eventually fight UFC superstar Conor McGregor.
But next up is former MMA star Ben Askren on Saturday night.
But the internet phenomenon is not short of alternatives, and here SunSport runs down the queue waiting in line.
Dillon Danis, Bellator welterweight
If Paul, 24, can’t get hold of McGregor, 32, the next best thing would be his close friend and training partner Danis, 27.
The pair have been going back-and-forth for years, and recently confronted each other on the streets of LA.
After Paul’s last win, he said: “There’s a long list of opponents that I want – Conor McGregor, Dillon Danis. I’m going to knock them both out.”
Danis’ Bellator promoter Scott Coker recently confirmed the fight talks: “Those conversations are ongoing, and have been happening.”
Dillon Danis pictured with Conor McGregor

Claressa Shields, 3-weight women’s champion
Shields, 25, who just announced plans to debut in MMA next year, told TMZ she would more than welcome a mixed-gender showdown with Paul.
She said: “I, Claressa Shields, will whoop Jake Paul’s ass.
“He can come in the ring weighing 180lb and I will come weighing 168 and I will beat the s**t out of him.”
Paul responded in a tweet: “Don’t get me started about @Claressashields.”

Amanda Nunes, 2-weight UFC champion
Having grown tired of Paul’s online callouts of McGregor, UFC president White said to TMZ Sports : “I’m thinking of letting Amanda Nunes knock his ass out.”
To which Nunes, 32, responded: “I’m in! @ufc @danawhite.”
Paul later remarked on Instagram: “You say you don’t want me to fight Conor McGregor because he’s one of the greatest fighters in the world, and I’m just a YouTuber or whatever.
“But then, in a statement today, you say, ‘Oh, I’m thinking about having Amanda Nunes just knock him out,’ but she’s also one of the greatest fighters?”

Ben Askren, retired UFC welterweight
Askren – an accomplished grappler – announced his retirement from MMA in 2019.
And despite having never been considered a gifted striker, the 36-year-old still believes he would comfortably beat the ‘YouTube bum’.
Askren told MMA Fighting: “Jake Paul wants to box me. I don’t know, I’m not a boxer but I could beat up a bum YouTube celebrity…
“I could box some YouTube bum and get paid for it? What a tremendous livelihood.”
Tonight, we will see what Askren is made of.

Nate Diaz, UFC welterweight
The UFC veteran surprisingly leapt to the defence of his former rival McGregor, after Paul called him an ‘Irish c***’ and disrespected his fiancee Dee Devlin.
Diaz, 35, tweeted: “Jake Paul u need your ass beat for free u spoiled f*** u can’t really fight dumbs*** your gonna end up with your ass whooped for real somewhere talking like that.”
Paul fired back by telling Diaz ‘I really beat your boy up’ in a sparring session relating to the UFC star’s training partner.
He later tweeted Diaz: ‘You can get the smoke too’.

Henry Cejudo, ex-UFC champion
Cejudo announced a shock UFC retirement in May – but appears open to crossing over to boxing.
And he was left less than impressed with Paul’s KO over Robinson and claimed he would give his fight purse to charity if the YouTuber beat him.
Cejudo, 34, tweeted: “Yo @jakepaul since you really think you’re a legit fighter by beating up on retired NBA D lister’s who really deserves an academy award for best fall.
“How about we fight and if I can’t stop you I’ll give all money to charity of your choice.”
Yo @jakepaul since you really think your a legit fighter by beating up on retired NBA D lister’s who really deserves a academy award for best fall. How about we fight and if I can’t stop you I’ll give all money to charity of your choice. #dontbescaredhomie 🖊 📄 pic.twitter.com/cLXKxLtNuY— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) December 6, 2020

Antonio Tarver, retied boxing legend
Tarver called on Mike Tyson to set up a fight between him and Paul.
He has not fought since 2015, but would come out of retirement to stop the new age of outsiders venturing into the ring.
Tarver, 52, wrote on Instagram: “I really want to kick @jakepaul ass for what he did to @naterobinson last night and rid boxing of these clowns once and for all.
“He fought a complete novice so fighting me shouldn’t be a problem… @miketyson make this fight.”

Jake Paul launches water balloon attack on Conor McGregor’s team-mate Dillon Danis to escalate feud More

JAKE PAUL is in line to make a guaranteed £500,000 for his fight against Ben Askren. The YouTuber headlines in Atlanta tonight alongside retired UFC welterweight Askren.
Jake Paul is in line to make a guaranteed £500,000 for his fight against Ben Askren
NINTCHDBPICT000643877661-1Credit: Getty
Per the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission, Paul will clear £500,000 but his purse is expected to rise after pay-per-view sales.
Askren on the other hand is set to receive around £350,000 but again has a cut of the PPV profits.
Social media app Triller, who are promoting the box office event, are backed by billionaire film producer Ryan Kavanaugh.
Ryan Kavanaugh told SunSport in February that he expects the fight to sell over 2million PPVs.
It means Paul, 24, and Askren, 36, can expect their fight purses to rocket into the millions.
On the undercard, former WBA world champion Regis Prograis, 32, makes his return against Ivan Redkach, 35.
And interestingly, Prograis has a higher guaranteed paycheck than headliner Paul.
The American will bank near to £615,000 plus a cut of the PPV bonuses.
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But it is understood Prograis’ slice of the box office buys are not as high as Paul’s.
Also featuring on the bill is Frank Mir, who twice won UFC gold, facing former cruiserweight champ Steve Cunningham.
Mir will earn £250,000 while opponent Cunningham makes close to £110,000.
Millionaire entrepreneur Joe Fournier, 10-0 as a boxer, returns after five years out and fights musician Reykon.
Brit Fournier will pocket near to £160,000 while reggaeton star Reykon is set for almost £60,000.
Jake Paul compares himself to Floyd Mayweather ahead of his boxing match with Ben Askren More

JAKE PAUL mocked Ben Askren for having a ‘beer belly’ and said the retired UFC welterweight ‘didn’t take training camp seriously’. The pair headline tonight, but went face to face for the final time as they weighed in.
Ben Askren and Jake Paul go face to faceCredit: Instagram @triller
Jake Paul weighing in for his fight against Ben AskrenCredit: Instagram @triller
Both scaled 191lb (13st 6lb) but Paul, 24, looked significantly leaner than Askren, 36, who retired from the UFC in 2019.
The YouTuber took a swipe at his opponent’s physique, and revealed he will dedicate the fight to his bodyguard Shamir Bolivar, who sadly passed away this month.
Paul said: “I see a guy who’s underestimating me, I see a guy who is taking this as a joke and I see a guy who said, ‘I have to take a s***’ during the face-off.
“This is the last 24 hours we will all have to hear Ben Askren. This one means a lot for me, this one is for Shadow.
“I don’t believe he makes it out of two rounds; look at the guy, he has a beer belly so he clearly didn’t take training camp seriously.
“We all did the talking and the entertainment s*** but now it’s time to let the fists fly.”
Paul comes into his third fight with two knockouts in as many wins since turning professional in January 2020.
But his wins have only comes against online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 36.
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Despite the low-level competition, Paul faced the wrath of critics after he was asked to grade his skill level
He said: “I see myself as an elite fighter right now.
“A young prospect with a lot of motivation, a lot of hunger, and I think people see me as a shitty amateur.
So there’s a big difference and there’s a big gap in between where I’m actually at and what the general audience thinks.
But I’m excited again to show my ability on Saturday against Ben, who is a world class fighter.”
Jake Paul compares himself to Floyd Mayweather ahead of his boxing match with Ben Askren More