It appears that Jake Paul may soon face off against Floyd Mayweather's former rival, Aaron Chalmers, for his MMA debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL). The former "Geordie Shore" star revealed that he has been in talks with PFL executives about a two-fight deal that would involve both men competing in the cage and the boxing ring.
Earlier this year, Jake Paul shocked the MMA world by announcing that he had signed a multi-fight deal with the PFL. The YouTuber-turned-boxer will compete in the promotion's unique 'Super Fight' division and owns equity in the company.
In a recent interview with The Sun, Aaron Chalmers spoke about his eagerness to welcome Paul into the MMA world. Chalmers claimed he spoke to PFL Europe chief James Frewin about fighting Paul, saying:
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"We were talking. It’s kind of dried up at the moment because I was trying to double up and get a crossover, as in Jake in boxing and in MMA. He’s obviously getting his way in boxing, and I’m a bit more experienced in MMA... Jake’s right up there in the mix, he’s quite a big name."
Aaron Chalmers is set to box Irish MMA veteran Kiefer Crosbie this weekend at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. He has an MMA record of 5-2 and a pro-boxing record of 1-0. Meanwhile, Jake Paul has a boxing record of 6-1, having defeated notable MMA entities like Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Ben Askren.
Jake Paul MMA: When senior PFL executive shared potential timeline for 'The Problem Child's MMA debut
Earlier this year, the PFL's senior vice president of corporate communications, Loren Mack, revealed some interesting news about Jake Paul's MMA debut.
After the conclusion of PFL 1 2023, Mack disclosed that he is confident about the 26-year-old making his way to the cage this year and revealed that the promotion is actively working on securing a suitable opponent for him.
In an interview with MMA Mania in April, the PFL's senior VP of corporate communications stated:
"Jake Paul is absolutely going to fight in 2023... I mean, that’s been the plan all along. I know, he’s in the gym, and he’s training, taking it very seriously. So expect to see him in the PFL cage in 2023, and it’s going to be MMA... He’s very serious about MMA, and he’s an incredible athlete."
Interestingly, Jake Paul has previously stated that he's looking to make his first MMA fight happen at the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024. Meanwhile, he's set to face former UFC star Nate Diaz in the boxing ring in August.