In the beginning, YouTube star Jake Paul knocked out a tiny NBA player in a boxing match on the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr exhibition. Then Paul called out Conor McGregor, a longshot, and McGregor’s teammate, Bellator fighter and fellow troll Dillon Danis. Then Chael Sonnen stirred the pot, and suggested Paul box former Bellator and ONE Championship champion Ben Askren.
. @jakepaul doesn’t trust many in the media to spread the word…. I’m was told Ben then Dillion. pic.twitter.com/evn9WdznoA
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) December 22, 2020
Askren’s striking ability is on a par with Derrick Lewis‘s Jiu-Jitsu, and recently had part of his hip replaced.
Officially a bionic man! pic.twitter.com/72JnAklXa9
— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) September 1, 2020
So Paul boxing Askren is less nonsensical than Paul boxing McGregor. Askren accepted, and it’s happening, apparently.
Yes, Mr. Jake Paul, I do accept, said Askren, as transcribed by Jed Meshew for MMA Fighting. I know you called me out after your last fight against that bum Nate Robinson, and listen, it’s a pretty simple choice. I’m going to make a whole bunch of money to beat up a guy who is pretending to be an athlete. Because at the end of the day, that’s what you’re doing. And I know you may think I don’t have too many standup skills, but also at the end of the day, I don’t really need to.
I’m a world-class athlete. I’ve won NCAA titles. I’ve been in the Olympics. I’ve won belts in multiple mixed martial arts organizations, and quite frankly, I am impressed that you’ve deluded yourself into thinking you are actually a fighter! That you are really tough, that you can really box. It’s quite impressive that beating up another YouTuber and beating up a boxer who looked like he had never been in the ring before makes you somehow good at boxing, because it doesn’t. So yes, Jake, I accept. I will see you March 28 in Los Angeles, and I will humble you like millions of people want to see happen.
Yes @jakepaul I accept. See you March 28. pic.twitter.com/eJ6EUXwTwT
— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) December 23, 2020
Then Scott Coker, who took over Bellator after Askren’s departure for ONE, said he likes Paul’s chances.
I already know who’s gonna win that one, Coker to Mike Bohn and Farah Hannoun for MMA Junkie. Ben’s a wrestler. Let’s put it that way, right? So I think he gets knocked out in a boxing fight. But in an MMA fight, it’s a different story.
Coker even sounded interested in Jake and his brother Logan bringing their following to MMA.
I know the Paul brothers can do both, said Coker. Jake is a real wrestler, can box now. You have boxing and you have wrestling, just learn the anti-jiu-jitsu techniques that Frank and Ken Shamrock used to teach back in the day, and you’ll be fine. Don’t worry, you’ll be good.
Askren was not impressed with Coker’s remarks.
Hey, Scott Coker, remember when your welterweight champ won a round against me? Oh yeah he didn’t, tweeted Askren, referring to his win over Douglas Lima in 2012. How have you not got fired yet? You’re running Bellator into the ground.
“Everyone knows Viacom is trying to sell Bellator because Scott Coker is doing such a terrible job but they can’t even find a buyer,” Askren continued.
Hey @ScottCoker remember when your WW champ won a round against me?? Oh yeah he didn’t. How have you not got fired yet, you’re running Bellator into the ground. https://t.co/4mzbx0uDmj
— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) December 23, 2020
Everyone knows @ViacomCBS is trying to sell @BellatorMMA bc @ScottCoker is doing such a terrible job but they can’t even find a buyer!!!!
— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) December 23, 2020
Then it was Coker’s turn to be not impressed.
He’s making a very serious accusation that’s untrue, said the Bellator boss to Steven Marrocco for MMA Fighting. I’m meeting with my lawyers later today to discuss our options. … He’s just mad because I said Logan would knock him out in a boxing match, which is true.
This just came up a couple days ago, because there were groups inquiring about [would] Viacom want to sell a piece of Bellator, and they said no. There’s probably been five, six offers for Bellator since I’ve been there – in the last few years – and Viacom turned them all down.
If they fight, it should be an MMA fight, and [the Paul brothers] are not going to do that. To me, I don’t understand why. These guys have wrestled in the past. They’re great athletes. To me, if they wanted to do one-for-one, we could do that, but I don’t see it happening.
Jake Paul is still angling for a bout vs. McGregor, and his older brother, Logan Paul, will have an exhibition vs. Floyd Mayweather on February 20. Fighters putting asses in seats via the social network makes sense, and this is likely the natural result of it. But it feels like a flea circus.
