Michael Bisping reacts after Jake Paul extends PFL contract offer to Nate Diaz: “It’s the same old story, isn’t it?”

By Susan Cox - January 9, 2023

Michael Bisping is reacting after Jake Paul extended a PFL contract offer to Nate Diaz.

Jake Paul, Michael Bisping

Jake Paul, spoke on his YouTube channel about his newly inked contract with the PFL saying:

“I’m so dedicated to this that I offered Nate Diaz a two-fight deal. First, we box. Then, six months later, we fight MMA in the PFL SmartCage and lay it all on the line.”

“If that’s not balls, I don’t know what is. Nate Diaz, I’m down to fight you in your own damn sport.”

Nate Diaz’s (21-13 MMA) UFC contract was completed after his UFC 279 submission win over Tony Ferguson (25-8 MMA) in September of last year.

Jake Paul has been calling out Nate Diaz to get in the boxing ring with him for over a year now. Perhaps in signing with the PFL – Paul is that much closer to making a match-up with Diaz a reality.

Michael Bisping has a different take on the story, taking to his YouTube channel saying (h/t MMAFighting):

“It’s the same old story, isn’t it? Same old story because Nate Diaz fought almost all of his fights at 155 and a few at 170, but he’s a lightweight generally. He’s a lightweight. Jake Paul weighs over 200 pounds and I’ve been through this, it’s every single time I talk about it. He’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s faster, he’s a boxer, and he wants to go first because he’ll probably knock Nate Diaz out or beat him in the very least in a boxing fight.”

Continuing Bisping said:

“That’s not me being a Nate Diaz hater, it’s just what my analysis tells me and it’s what your analysis would tell you as well, let’s be honest. He wants to beat him in that first so it leaves that little bit in the mind for when they do have the mixed martial arts fight. Again, that wouldn’t get sanctioned normally, he’s way too big.”

Speaking of Diaz being a decent boxer, Michael Bisping continued:

“Now, Nate Diaz, he’s a decent boxer, he’s as tough as they come, he’s got great jiu-jitsu, but he’s not known for being the best wrestler. So maybe, could he take Jake Paul down? Is Nate Diaz at the end of his career? This is all smoke and mirrors. This is all just Jake Paul trying to navigate the waters of how he can continue to make money. He can’t do it in boxing because in boxing if he’s going to have a big boxing fight, it has to be against a real boxer and a real boxer would more than likely beat him, which is not what they want. He can’t continue calling up former UFC legends that are retired because that’s not doing it anymore either. Yeah, he’s winning the fights, God bless him, fair play to him there. Solid win over Anderson, whether or not he’s old, he’s still Anderson Silva, and he beat Tyron Woodley twice. Before that it was Ben Askren, who’s a wrestler, then it was a basketballer.”

Continuing Bisping said:

“The point I’m making is he’s never fought a boxer, but even still, these former UFC legends, they’re not pulling in the pay-per-view numbers. So now he’s going to have to fight mixed martial arts, which on paper makes it sound like Jake Paul is doing the right thing. He’s being courageous, he’s willing to switch sports. But he’s not. It’s going to be hand-picked opponents. Nate Diaz in a boxing match first that’ll be co-promoted by the PFL. And then mixed martial arts, again, yeah Nate Diaz is the better mixed martial artist for sure, but size is a real thing.”

As for the two-fight deal Jake Paul is offering Diaz, Bisping commented:

“When two people fight, the promoter arranges a lot of things. Press. Interviews. Hotel. Airport. Flights. Pickups. All the rest of it. There’s nothing to stop that promoter messing with that opponent big time and if Jake Paul’s the promoter, he can arrange you don’t get picked up from the airport on time.”

“They’re giving interviews in the middle of the night. Their PR schedule is just absolutely through the roof. Just lots of little things that would mess with the opponents. Now that would be pretty dirty and I’m not saying that Jake would do that, but it does leave the door open for those kinds of things.”

Do you agree with Michael Bispings’ comments concerning Jake Paul and Nate Diaz in a 2-fight deal? Would you be watching the two meet in the boxing ring and then in the Octagon?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!


Topics:

Boxing News Jake Paul Michael Bisping UFC