UFC

JAKE PAUL ‘calls everyday’ trying to fight Nate Diaz, who is open to the ‘easy money’, his training partner said. Diaz is entering the final fight on his UFC contract and is already plotting a switch to the boxing ring.
Chris Avila with training partner Nate DiazCredit: Instagram chrisavila209
Jake Paul wants to fight UFC star Nate DiazCredit: Getty
He has been publicly called out several times by Paul, who is 3-0 as a fighter, all by knockout.
And according to Diaz’s team-mate Chris Avila, the YouTuber is repeatedly making attempts in private to secure a mega-money boxing match.
Avila, 28, told SunSport: “He calls everyday trying to get a fight with Nate.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen with that too. That’s easy money right there. That would be something too.
“I don’t know what Nate’s thinking about with that, but money talks and I’m sure he’d be more than willing to box Jake Paul or Logan Paul.
“Someone in boxing, Canelo, it will be a big fight.”
Paul, 24, has made a habit of challenging ex-UFC stars, and fights former champion Tyron Woodley, 39, on August 28.
So far in his unbeaten career, he has wins over only online rival ‘AnEsonGib’, ex-NBA player Nate Robinson, 37, and retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, 36.
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But he plans to face Diaz, 36, in an attempt to earn a dream fight with the American’s ex-opponent Conor McGregor, 32.
Diaz most recently lost to Leon Edwards, 29, over five rounds in June but almost knocked out the Brit in the final minute.
Now on the verge of free agency, sparring partner Avila, who left the UFC in 2016, revealed the MMA veteran is planning to launch his own promotion.
It could see them both swap the cage for the ring, with Diaz and his brother Nick, 37, renowned for their boxing styles.
Avila, who fights in Iowa this month, said: “They’re boxing’s good, it’s top level. I’m sure they’ve got some plans for boxing fights coming up soon.
“A lot of people are tuning into boxing again it seems like, I know Nate, it’s something he’s probably gunning for as soon as he can.
Nate Diaz was beaten by Leon EdwardsCredit: Reuters
Nate Diaz with brother NickCredit: Instagram natediaz209
“He might have one more fight and then he’s planning on doing a boxing fight against someone that everybody knows.
“I don’t know who yet, I’m also going to do some boxing fights coming up as I’m a free agent and hoping to fight.
“I got a fight coming up and then I’m trying to line myself up with something good, something big after I win this fight.
“I should be on deck for something good, a UFC comeback, or a good boxing fight, I could go on the undercard of Nate’s promotion.
“He’s either going to do boxing or MMA, or both. That’s what’s happening next, that’s coming soon.”
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JAKE PAUL will never ‘have the balls to fight bare-knuckle’ said champion Hector Lombard, who challenged the YouTuber: ‘Prove me wrong’. Lombard, formerly of the UFC, recently won the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship cruiserweight title.
Jake Paul was called out by bare-knuckle champion Jake PaulCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
Hector Lombard, right, wants to fight YouTuber Jake Paul
He did so by beating Joe Riggs, 38, but made headlines for his post-fight brawl with Lorenzo Hunt, also 38.
Afterwards, Lombard, 43, called out Paul, 24, and recently doubled down on his offer to do it with brutal exposed fists.
He told MMA Junkie: “I don’t think he’s ever going to have the balls to fight bare-knuckle.
“This is a guy I’ve been supporting – Jake Paul – way before anybody.
“I remember when I said on my Instagram that Jake Paul was going to KO Ben Askren, a lot of people laughed at me.
“But Ben Askren sucks at boxing, so I was right. Jake Paul is an athlete, but I don’t think he’s got the (guts) to ever take the gloves off and fight bare-knuckle.
“I don’t think so. And he can prove me wrong.”
Lombard is now 3-0 in bare-knuckle, having last fought in MMA in 2018.
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He left the UFC after six straight losses, but was rival Bellator’s inaugural middleweight champ.
Paul is 3-0 in his boxing career, all by KO and has made a habit of feuding with ex-UFC stars.
The social media sensation faces ex-champion Tyron Woodley, 39, on August 28 in his fourth and most challenging fight to date.
Paul most recently knocked out retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, 36, in the first round of their fight in April.
It added to his two highlight-reel wins over online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA point guard Nate Robinson, 37.
Woodley, who has seven KOs to his name, reigned the UFC’s welterweight division from 2016-2018 with four defences.
But he departed the promotion this year off the of four straight defeats, leaving him without a win in three years.
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UFC HALL-OF-FAMER Michael Bisping has revealed he wanted $1million to box YouTube star Jake Paul.The former middleweight champion was in the running to be the fourth opponent of Paul’s brief boxing career before his fellow MMA star Tyron Woodley signed on the dotted line.
Michael Bisping received a $500,000 offer to box YouTube star Jake PaulCredit: Getty
But The Count wanted $1million to ‘spank’ the YouTuberCredit: Getty
Bisping revealed to SunSport he was offered £360,000 to throw down with The Problem Child but responded by demanding a bigger purse of £725,000 to ‘spank’ the social media star.
The Count, 42, said: “With Jake Paul, yeah I did get an offer of $500,000 to fight him.
“We countered back with a million, but I was never really entertaining it.
“I was like, ‘Alright, let’s have some fun, let’s see what they say.
“And you never know, if they had came back with a million or higher, maybe I would’ve gone and spanked a YouTuber.”
Although the prospect of one last huge payday briefly enticed Bisping, the pride of Clitheroe is more than happy with his new life outside of fighting.
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SunSport’s latest pound-for-pound UFC rankings
He continued: “If there’s a million dollars in the table there, I’d be a fool not to pick it up.
“I’m not interested in that, I’m very happy, I’ve got so much going on in my retirement.
“I’m so bloody busy. But yeah, I’m very happy.”
Bisping, Britain’s first and only UFC champion, hung up his gloves in May 2018 following consecutive losses to Georges St-Pierre and Kelvin Gastelum.
The competitive spirit that spurred him on to UFC gold five years ago still burns somewhat, but not enough to convince him to lace up his gloves one more time
He said: “I’ve been there, done it and got the T-shirt. I’ve had a lot of fights.
Michael Bisping is Britain’s first and only UFC championCredit: Getty

“At the time of my retirement, I set a lot of records, won the belt.
“There’s nothing more to do. I’m in the bloody Hall of Fame, it’s unreal.
“I’m a competitor, though, and I still like to do it. But unfortunately, my body has failed me in many ways.
“I’ve had two total knee replacements, I surgery on my neck in January.
“They put a titanium plate in my neck, they want to go and put another two titanium plates. But fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that.
“Obviously I’m blind in one eye, I’ve got bloody this massive lump on the wrist – that hurts. So my body is a mess, but I still like to go in there and compete.
“So I go in and do some jiu-jitsu here and there. I might compete in some jiu-jitsu or something like that or some grappling.
“But yeah, my fighting days are over.”
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KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV said the Georges St-Pierre and Kamaru Usman fantasy fight is the UFC’s version of Mike Tyson vs Muhammad Ali. St-Pierre is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and the best UFC welterweight ever.
Current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru UsmanCredit: Getty
UFC legend Georges St-PierreCredit: Instagram @georgesstpierre
Usman is the division’s current ruler and on the road to surpassing GSP, according to UFC president Dana White.
The 170lb king, 33, has called out St-Pierre, 40, before but the former two-weight champion is deep into retirement, having not fought since 2017.
It leaves Nurmagomedov – who had already dreamed of facing GSP himself – struggling to split the pair.
He told UFC Russia: “It’d be wrong to compare it. It is like to think who’d win: Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali?
“No one knows and no one will ever know.”
Tyson, now 54, and Ali, who died aged 74 in 2016, is the most hotly debated fantasy fight amongst fans.
But the heavyweight icons were several eras apart in their primes, whereas Usman became UFC champ once month before GSP retired in 2019.
Nurmagomedov, 32, who retired 29-0 last October, argued Usman would be the current favourite against St-Pierre, who is past his best.
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He said: “Right now, I think it is Usman because it is his prime time.
“What was the prime time of GSP? I believe it was 2009-2010. I think it would have been tough for Usman to fight with him back then.
“I think St-Pierre was the best at that time. So 2021 and 2010 are different times and a different level of competition.”
UFC legend Khabib NurmagomedovCredit: Alamy
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LOGAN PAUL has been urged by his trainer to fight Conor McGregor or rematch Floyd Mayweather on his boxing return. The YouTuber to the shock of many took American legend Mayweather the full eight-round distance in their June exhibition bout.
Logan Paul took Floyd Mayweather the distanceCredit: Getty
Conor McGregor was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Former UFC champion McGregor only survived ten rounds before he was stopped on his ring debut in 2017.
Paul’s trainer Milton Lacroix argued it sets the YouTuber up perfectly with the Irish UFC superstar.
Lacroix told former boxer Tony Jeffries: “We wouldn’t mind taking on that guy, Conor McGregor.
“We wouldn’t mind going a couple of rounds with him.
“I mean just think about it, Floyd beat him up and knocked him out, so why not fight someone who went the distance in Logan?
“Which would be a great fight.”
Paul’s younger brother Jake, 24, has continued to chase a fight with McGregor, 32, but to no prevail, despite predicting $50million purses each.
It leaves Lacroix opening the door to a rematch with Mayweather.
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He said: “If Floyd wants to do it again believe you me we don’t mind.
“If you feel that you knocked us out and beat us up let’s get back in the ring and start all over again. We’ll go for number two.”
Paul, 26, had only twice boxed beforehand, both against online rival KSI, 28, drawing the first in 2018 before losing the rematch a year after.
It left several, including heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, predicting he would be easily knocked out by Mayweather, 44.
But after scoring a moral victory by surviving until the final bell, Lacroix claimed there could have been more to come.

He revealed: “If he’d have calmed down during the earlier rounds it would have been a different fight because when you see Logan really fight you’re going to say, ‘Wow, this kid can really fight’.
“If only he would have done that to Floyd, and that’s what everybody’s going to be saying.
“But listen, 50 people tried before and 50 people got beat up and a lot of them got knocked the hell out.
“We didn’t get knocked out, we went the distance, we didn’t get hurt.”
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