Jake Paul greenlights Kamaru Usman fight after UFC callout: “Challenge accepted”

With Jake Paul continuing to call out MMA fighters for his next boxing showdown, one name has stood out from the pack. The YouTuber has “accepted” a challenge from current UFC Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

Ever since his viral first-round knockout over Ben Askren, Paul has been on a social media tear. From fellow internet celebs to MMA legends, he’s actively calling out new names every day in hopes of locking in another blockbuster event.

While all eyes were on a potential scrap with Daniel Cormier following an altercation at UFC 261, attention has now shifted to the man who headlined that very PPV card. Hot off of his own spectacular KO over Jorge Masvidal, Usman addressed Paul in an April 28 interview with TMZSports.

“Unmotivated” by his current competition in the UFC, Usman teased the idea of “beating the sh**” out of “one of these internet guys.”

“Right now, these internet guys are making more noise than the guys in my division,” Usman said. Rather than letting Cormier even “entertain” the idea of a fight with Paul, Usman claimed he’d rather “take care of that for [him].”

Kamaru Usman and Jake Paul exchange heated words

“Challenge accepted,” Paul tweeted in response shortly after the interview went live. “If your boss gives you permission to box me and make more money than you ever have, let me know and we can lace them up.”

If the Welterweight champ is able to wriggle out of his UFC contract for the one-off influencer bout, Paul assures “it will be [his] biggest payday.”

To this day, Paul has only boxed one fighter with any previous combat sports experience. Evidently, there’s no denying Usman would provide the biggest step up in competition yet. 

• Read More: Jake Paul slams Dana White in ongoing UFC feud

Currently on the second-longest win streak in UFC history, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ has dominated his way to a 19-1 professional record.

Kamaru Usman shuts down Jake Paul challenge

Obviously, there are a dozen hoops Usman would need to jump through for this fight to become real.

The UFC would either have to release its current Welterweight champ, or negotiate an unprecedented deal with Triller before the potential scrap could go ahead. And, while it was already extremely unlikely such a fight would ever materialize, Usman quickly moved to shut down rumors once and for all.

“Keep making your money young man, and stay on that side,” he said a few hours later. “I ain’t no Disney kid and I don’t play fighting.”

Despite the door seemingly closing on that matchup, Paul has already listed off a number of potential opponents he’s looking to face down the line.

• Read More: Joe Rogan says Jake Paul knockout power “real”

From Nate Diaz to Conor McGregor, we’ll just have to wait and see who signs on the dotted line next.