Derek Brunson asks Jake Paul to fight him in the UFC first; 'The Problem Child' responds with a shot at Dana White
In response to Jake Paul expressing his willingness to face Derek Brunson in the boxing ring, Brunson has asserted that Paul should fight him in the UFC first. Brunson tweeted that Paul should come over to the UFC to face him in a mixed rules matchup.
Brunson is under contract with the UFC. The veteran MMA fighter emphasized that if Paul accepts his offer, UFC president Dana White could loan Brunson for a boxing match against Paul. Brunson’s tweet read as follows:
“Blonde Brunson doesn’t lose. I adapt to any environment. I outsmart & outwit, then brutalize fighters. @jakepaul come to the @ufc for one fight, we can make whatever rules you want in a contract, then I’m sure @danawhite will loan me for a boxing match! @aliabdelaziz000”
Jake Paul has now responded to Derek Brunson’s offer and taken a jibe at Dana White. ‘The Problem Child’ – who has often spoke out about how the UFC treats its athletes – claimed that Brunson has accepted that he is “owned” by White.
Paul highlighted that he feels "sorry" for Brunson, and that he and his fellow UFC fighters deserve better. Jake Paul’s tweet read as follows:
“I’m sorry that you have accepted that you are owned by Dana White and have to be loaned out, like a car. You and your fellow fighters deserve better.”
Is a Jake Paul vs. Derek Brunson fight on the horizon?
Jake Paul has been adamant that he currently intends to focus on his boxing career and isn’t looking to compete in the sport of MMA. The 24-year-old YouTube megastar and boxing wunderkind signed a contract with Showtime earlier this year.
The first fight on his Showtime contract was his most recent professional boxing match as wel. He had a split decision win against former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Meanwhile, Derek Brunson’s most recent fight was an MMA bout at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till. That saw Brunson defeat Till via third-round submission. Presently, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is expected to defend his title against Robert Whittaker in January 2022. Brunson is now likely to face the winner of this fight for the title.
Considering the aforementioned variables at play, a boxing or MMA fight between Jake Paul and Derek Brunson seems unlikely to materialize anytime soon.