MMA legend and PFL analyst Dan Hardy has a big name in mind for Jake Paul's targeted MMA debut.
Despite not yet making his professional MMA debut, at the time of writing, Jake Paul has already been linked to some big names for his first appearance in the PFL SmartCage. Dan Hardy, a PFL analyst and head of operations for PFL Europe, believes Paul is about to face one of the league's biggest stars.
Love him or hate him, Paul has become one of the faces of boxing during his short, polarizing career in the ring. Several world champions have called Paul up for boxing matches, including Canelo Alvarez and heavyweight titleholder Daniel Dubois.
While Paul struggled in high school and has boxing talent, Paul's focused first MMA appearance will be new waters for him to conquer. He has started throwing kicks and wrestling sparingly as he prepares for his first appearance in MMA.
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images
Paul is a valuable name to face regardless of who his opponent will be for his first MMA fight. MMA legends like Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz have been linked to Paul's debut opponent in recent months as speculation continued to run rampant. Oft-controversial former Bellator standout Dillon Danis has also drafted Paul.
While no exact time frame has been set for Paul's MMA debut in the PFL, he is tentatively expected to be booked for his first fight in late 2025.
Paul's insistence on fighting in MMA is similar to WWE icon CM Punk, whose UFC tenure was marred by skepticism and ridicule by fans. For Hardy, Paul's path to MMA is similar to Punk's, and 'The Problem Child' hopes for better results.
Dan Hardy compares Jake Paul to CM Punk as he makes his MMA debut
In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow's Jordan Ellis, Hardy explained how Paul's entry into MMA draws parallels to Punk's UFC career.
“I was excited about the idea of Jake Paul getting into mixed martial arts. And I thought to myself that he would come to MMA with the same energy. We know he has a wrestling background too… he's in a weird situation, right? Because who are you up against?' Hardy wondered.
“We had a similar situation with CM Punk when he started fighting in the UFC. Anyone who has had six months of decent training will beat him, and I don't know if I feel the same way about Jake Paul,” Hardy continued about Paul. “I could find someone who has two, three MMA fights and put them up against Jake Paul and he would probably look like he has no idea what he's doing.”
Hardy then named one of the PFL's biggest names for Paul's MMA debut opponent.
“Cédric Doumbé had named a few different people he would fight, and Jake Paul was on the list. Doumbé has a great kickboxing background, but he only has a few fights in MMA. And he's a striker, so he's not going to want to mess with Jake Paul,” Hardy said. “Doumbé is a bit older, but certainly smaller. That could be a good one, even in boxing. I think Cédric Doumbé versus Jake Paul would be a lot of fun.
Paul is fresh off his latest boxing victory over heavyweight Mike Tyson just weeks ago. He's targeting a return to the ring in 2025, and there are several intriguing names in the mix to battle him.
Doumbé, a former Glory Kickboxing superstar, defeated Bellator veteran Jaleel Willis at the Bellator Champions Series: Paris in May. Before that, he suffered his first professional MMA loss in controversial fashion against Baissangour Chamsoudinov at PFL Europe 1.
Paul hopes to surpass CM Punk's forgettable MMA run and make a name for himself in the sport, similar to what he has achieved in boxing. CM Punk went 0-1-1 in his MMA career, suffering a first-round loss to Mickey Gall and a no-contest against Mike Jackson.
Jake Paul vs. Cedric Doumbé pitched for PFL showcase fight
During his boxing career, Paul has defeated the likes of Diaz, Tyson and former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. He suffered his first professional boxing defeat against Tommy Fury last year after going undefeated in his first six fights.
Jake and Logan Paul were accomplished high school wrestlers before finding fame and fortune as content creators. Logan is also close to a possible return to fighting one of the UFC's all-time greats.
As 2024 draws to a close and 2025 quickly approaches, the clock is ticking for Paul to make his long-awaited MMA debut in PFL. A clash with Doumbé could be the high-profile booking Paul would like to make quickly in the cage.
Related posts
Comments