‘I wish them the best, I hope they make a zillion dollars!’: Dana White reacts to Jake Paul’s scheduled boxing match with MMA star Nate Diaz… as the UFC president refuses to slam the event despite his long-running feud with the YouTuber
Dana White has surprisingly given Jake Paul’s crossover fight with Nate Diaz his blessing as the pair prepare to face each other in a boxing match in August.
Paul is looking to bounce back from his lone career defeat to Tommy Fury in February, and has opted to take on another former UFC star by picking Diaz as his next opponent for August 5 in Dallas, Texas.
Paul has already beaten Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley twice and Ben Askren inside the ring, and is now looking to get the better of a fourth MMA fighter.
The YouTuber and White have never seen eye-to-eye, while Diaz stepped away from the UFC to pursue a lucrative boxing match, but the UFC president decided to bite his tongue when asked about the upcoming bout following Max Holloway’s thrilling victory over Britain’s Arnold Allen on Saturday night.
‘I don’t want to s*** on other people’s fights like Oscar De La Weirdo (Hoya)’, White said at the post-fight press conference.
Jake Paul (left) is set for his first fight since losing to Tommy Fury (right) in February
Paul will face MMA star Nate Diaz in a boxing match in Dallas, Texas on August 5
Dana White decided not to slam the event when asked about it on Saturday night
‘I don’t want to talk about the fight. First of all, neither guy is my guy. There’s just no need for me to comment on it or whatever. I wish them the best, I hope they make a zillion dollars.’
White refusing to hit out at the event is likely to come as a shock to most fans as he has been involved in a long-running feud with Paul.
Paul has previously claimed he is ‘exposing’ the UFC by beating a number of their former stars, while he has also slammed White for the pay and healthcare that MMA’s premier organisation provides to fighters.
The pair have also gone back and forth in the past accusing each other of using drugs.
In December 2021, Paul claimed White was on cocaine, but White hit back by putting out an online video insisting he would be willing to be tested for cocaine for the next 10 years if Paul agreed to take random steroid tests for the next two.
White appeared to have the perfect opportunity to reignite his feud with Paul ahead of his next fight with Diaz, but opted not to speak badly about the match-up.
The pressure will be on Paul to bounce back as he looks to prove he still has a future in the sport.
He has talked up a rematch with Fury following his split-decision defeat in Saudi Arabia, but these plans have been put on hold after the ex-Love Island star signed up for Soccer Aid earlier this week.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
