Not too long ago, in an interview with Norske Bettingsider, Oleksandr Usyk’s longtime friend and camp member Sergey Lapin dropped the unexpected bombshell that the Ukrainian juggernaut is “open to fighting Jake Paul in MMA” after his July 19 rematch with Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
“The Jake Paul fight is a great show,” Lapin said. But about Jake Paul? Is he open to it?
Paul has successfully transitioned from a controversial internet personality to a bona fide combat sports star, juggling boxing matches, running multiple businesses, and teasing a highly anticipated debut in mixed martial arts. Each day is a sprint, and the clock, he admits, is his fiercest opponent at the moment. Amidst his hectic life of training, business deals, and constant media appearances, Paul recently found himself reflecting on the limits of what one person can do.
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Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show ahead of his Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. fight on June 28 at Honda Center in Anaheim, the 28-year-old revealed that Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning unified heavyweight champion, is calling him out. “Yeah, Usyk wants me in MMA. These are all the things I am looking to do,” Jake Paul casually admitted to Ariel Helwani during their segment. But the conversation quickly shifted from jaw-dropping to reflective when El Gallo, speaking candidly, confessed, “The only thing I can’t do in my career is create time. I wake up every day pissed off at time… I’m still running like eight different companies, putting out content… I just need more time.” That remark alone shows the ‘Problem Child’ isn’t just entertaining the idea of an Usyk fight for clicks—he’s grappling with the sheer scale of what it would take to make such a colossal matchup happen. And that very scale might be what makes it so tantalizing to fans.
Usyk, 38, who has publicly said he only has two more fights left in boxing, remains focused on beating Dubois again. But Lapin confirmed that Paul’s team “is into the idea” and that the matchup is gaining real traction. According to Lapin, “Usyk said, ‘Why not? It’s cool—I love challenges.’ He even mentioned he used to wrestle and do hand-to-hand combat as a kid.”
And Jake Paul’s team seems just as fired up. In fact, Paul has already signed a multi-fight deal with the PFL (Professional Fighters League) and intends to make his long-awaited MMA debut soon. Regardless, Jake Paul’s MMA journey continues to stir headlines—this time, not just with a serious fight proposal from Oleksandr Usyk, but also a cheeky callout from his own brother.
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Logan Paul recently floated the idea of facing Jake in an MMA bout, claiming it would be the “most fair” option since neither of them has professional experience in the sport. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Jake responded: “I didn’t see him say that, but I’m guessing that’s very real. For him, that would level the playing field because we both have never done MMA. I’d be down to do it just for fun, but I don’t think it would ever happen, nah.”
The suggestion, while playful, reignited buzz around the Paul brothers’ ongoing flirtation with MMA, especially after a viral fake-fight teaser promoting their new series, Paul American, misled fans into thinking a real bout was coming. The marketing ploy drew criticism from fans and fighters alike, but none more vocal than UFC veteran Nate Diaz. Taking to X, Diaz fired off: “I whoop both these pu**ys.”
The jab referenced Diaz’s ongoing feud with the Paul brothers, dating back to his 2023 boxing loss to Jake Paul. While the Pauls have mostly brushed off Diaz’s digs, the comment highlighted growing frustration among traditional fight fans who see the brothers’ antics as blurring the line between spectacle and sport. Meanwhile, Jake remains focused on his June 28 fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., with his long-teased MMA debut under the PFL banner still expected by late 2025.
