Jake Paul has renewed his interest in facing Nate Diaz in mixed martial arts following the announcement that Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is merging with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) to launch MVP MMA. The new venture is expected to serve as the home for future MMA events, and Paul says it has made a potential fight with Diaz more realistic than ever.
Speaking with TMZ Sports, Paul revealed that Diaz and Mike Perry are the two opponents at the top of his wishlist for his MMA debut.
Jake Paul wants Nate Diaz fight to finally happen
Paul confirmed that talks about facing Diaz have existed for some time but believes the new promotion changes the terrain.
“Yeah, Nate Diaz. Mike Perry would be great.”
He continued:
“The Nate conversation has been ongoing. It just never made complete sense. I think up until this moment, things just got a lot more serious with this announcement. So, I want the Nate Diaz MMA fight very, very bad.”
Paul and Diaz previously met in a boxing match in August 2023, with Paul earning a unanimous decision victory. An MMA bout, however, would place Diaz back in the discipline where he built his reputation after competing professionally for more than two decades.
Paul also outlined his ambitions for the newly formed MVP MMA, making it clear that he sees the promotion as a legitimate rival to the UFC.
“One thousand percent, it’s war.”
Comparing the rivalry to Coke versus Pepsi, Paul argued that MVP MMA is ready to compete for viewers and market share.
Paul has also fought Mike Perry in boxing, defeating him in 2024 after the pair had previously exchanged public criticism. While no MMA bout has been announced, Paul suggested both Diaz and Perry remain leading candidates as MVP MMA prepares for its first events.
