"He’s tall as fu*k and his striking" - When Jake Paul revealed why Israel Adesanya is the only UFC fighter he would never fight

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and UFC star Israel Adesanya appear to share a friendly relationship. On multiple occasions, the two have shared positive words for each other in the media.

One such incident took place a few years ago when 'The Problem Child' made an appearance on the TimboSugar Show, a podcast hosted by former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley and his coach Tim Welch.

At one point during their conversation, Paul was asked whether he would be interested in fighting Adesanya in a boxing match. The 28-year-old replied in the negative and hailed 'The Last Stylebender' as one of the best strikers to ever grace the world of combat sports.

Paul said:

"Honestly bro, [Israel Adesanya's] probably the only fighter in the UFC that I wouldn't fight... He's tall as f**k and his striking... I think he's probably, arguably one of the best strikers, top three ever in the history of the sport... I think he's probably, literally the only one who I wouldn't [fight]."

Check out Jake Paul's comments below (37:55):

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What's next for Israel Adesanya in the UFC?

Former UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya is currently going through a rough patch in the UFC. For the first time in his professional career, 'The Last Stylebender' has lost two fights in a row and has only managed to win one out of his last four bouts.

After his loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 in August 2024, Adesanya is set to return to action soon. The New Zealander will lock horns with Nassoudine Imavov in a five-round middleweight clash at UFC Fight Night 250.

The bout will serve as the main event of the card which will take place at the anb Arena in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. The bout will be Adesanya's first non-title fight in the UFC since February 2019.