The hottest feud in combat sports is between Jake Paul and UFC President Dana White.
Paul has drawn the ire of White for speaking out about fighter pay and health benefits towards UFC fighters. The 25-year-old took things a step further last week by releasing a diss track targeting White, who has accused Paul of being on performance-enhancing drugs even though Paul has passed every drug test for his five professional fights. But what about Paul ever competing in the Octagon for the UFC?
White left a small crack open on the Full Send Podcast saying 'never say never'. However, one person who doesn't believe the social media influencer-turned boxer will venture to mixed martial arts is the long-time voice of the UFC, Jon Anik. While the broadcaster feels he's all in on boxing, Anik doesn't think Paul feels the same way about dedicating his life to MMA the same way he has for boxing.
"I doubt it. I really doubt it," Anik tells DAZN News.
"I just don't think that he wants to scratch that competitive itch. I think he is legitimately passionate about boxing. CM Punk, for lack of a better example, he needed to scratch that itch. It didn't go the way he wanted it to. It didn't go the way he thought it would. But he needed that for his own peace of mind.
"I think Jake Paul needed that in boxing. But Jake Paul's not going to have a better retirement or enjoy any part of his life by scratching that MMA itch.
"I don't think that he wants to devote his training life the way he’d need to become a mixed martial arts athlete. I don't think we see Jake Paul in the UFC. But if we do, hopefully, the matchmaking is done in an appropriate way."
Paul's record inside the ring is 5-0, with four of those coming via knockout. He's beaten AnSonGib, Nate Robinson, Ben Askren, and two wins over Tyron Woodley. After he notched a sixth-round KO of Woodley in their December rematch, Paul challenged Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal, and Nate Diaz. Pundits say Paul gains from calling out the marquee names in the UFC.
Anik agrees with that notion and credits Paul creating the buzz. However, he also believes a partnership isn't needed between the two entities because of where they are at in the combat sports landscape.
"I certainly think that Jake Paul is using mixed martial arts and the UFC to his ultimate advantage," Anik said.
"I have to say, as a boxer and as a promoter, I really have enjoyed a lot of what Jake Paul has done. I've heard from a lot of people in his camp about just how hard he works. He's bringing in the right people. He's putting in the right work.
"He seems to be a genuinely good guy in terms of some of his initiatives and his efforts to try to help the masses. That is not falling on a deaf ear with me.
"I think Dana White probably respects him enough that he engaged in any sort of back and forth with Jake Paul. But we just don't need him.
"We are not just the MMA leader. As humbly as I can say this as a guy whose check is cut by the promotion, we are the combat sports leader right now. UFC pay-per-views have never been as anticipated as they are right now.
"So while it disappoints me that maybe we haven't sent in the right boxer, like Jorge Masvidal to maybe humble Jake Paul a little bit, I'm happy that he's realized millions, and I'm happy with where the UFC is. I just don't think they need each other. But I think it has been saged the way Jake Paul has sort of leveraged mixed martial arts to his advantage."