5 times celebrities challenged MMA fighters to a fight

Jake Paul, YouTuber turned boxer, in action.

Since emerging in the 1990s, MMA has seen a phenomenal rise in its popularity in the last decade or so. Be it the lucrative contracts or fame, fighters are flocking in large numbers to take it up as a profession.

The highly intense sport rose to prominence predominantly with the birth of the UFC.

Requiring a thorough knowledge of various kinds of martial arts like kickboxing, Muay Thai, wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, MMA has come a long way since its inception.

Such has been its popularity that UFC 229, headlined by Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, recorded a massive 2.2 million buys in the United States, making it the biggest pay-per-view event in the history of MMA.

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A post shared by Khabib Nurmagomedov (@khabib_nurmagomedov)

While the sport itself is brutal, it is generally fought by fighters who are trained for the intensity that it demands. However, there have been instances of people from outside the world of MMA daring to lock horns with these highly skilled professionals. While some have had feuds with them, many took their rivalry a step further.

From YouTubers to NFL players, here are five instances where celebrities challenged MMA fighters to a fight.

#5. Chad Johnson vs. Anderson Silva (34-11-0 (1 NC) MMA record)

Anderson Silva (left) and Chad Johnson (right) [Image credits: @spiderandersonsilva and @ochocinco on Instagram]

The former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver is yet another example of a celebrity trying to engage with an MMA professional. Johnson, also known as Ochocinco until 2012, called out former UFC middleweight champion Anderson 'The Spider' Silva.

He asked Dana White to arrange a fight with 'The Spider'.

@danawhite Dana tell Anderson Silva once the CBA expires tomorrow I'm free to beat his a$$ any time any where!! Set it up

Although Dana White did seem interested initially, the fight did not materialize.

If that CBA doesn't get resolved @ochocinco ur gonna have to fight anderson! I'm ready whenever u are. Let's do it!

Johnson made his professional boxing debut earlier this year against Brian Maxwell. He looked good until he was knocked out in the fourth round. Despite losing the bout, Johnson jokingly called out Conor McGregor as he felt he was "ready".

"I think I'm ready for McGregor" - Chad Johnson. 😂