Jake Paul rarely talks positively about his potential opponents, but Nate Diaz appears to be the exception.
Diaz recently ended his UFC stint on a high note after he submitted Tony Ferguson in the main event of UFC 279. As a free agent, Diaz is free to choose any venture he wants to pursue next, including a long-rumored boxing match with Jake Paul.
With that being the case, it's unsurprising that Paul has tuned into Diaz's octagon swan song. During a recent interview with The Schmo, the YouTube superstar even went as far as praising his potential foe. Asked to rate Diaz's most recent performance, 'The Problem Child' stated:
"Ten out of 10, man. He was entertaining, he was fun, he had great striking, and then he finished with the submission. It was damn near flawless and it sets up a massive fight hopefully for us one day, but for now, October 29th, [it's] Anderson Silva."
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Check out the interview below:
For now, though, Paul's focus remains fixed on a different MMA icon. The up-and-coming boxer is set to face former long-reigning UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in what's expected to be his toughest fight yet.
Nate Diaz makes a request to Jake Paul and Anderson Silva
Nate Diaz is hoping Jake Paul and Anderson Silva can hook him up with some ringside tickets to their upcoming boxing event.
It's not because he wanted to be spotted by the cameras, though. Diaz said he only wants to see his training partner Chris Avila compete. During an interview with The Mirror, Diaz said:
"Yo Jake Paul and Anderson Silva, let me get some tickets ringside," Diaz said. "My boy Chris Avila is fighting on that card, so yeah I for sure will be there."
Check out the poster below:
However, it's still unclear whether Avila is on the card, as Diaz claimed. The 29-year-old is slated to fight in the upcoming Bellator 286 event scheduled for October 1st. That means he'd need to make a quick turnaround (30 days) if he is to fight on the Paul vs. Silva card.
Avila last competed on the undercard of Paul's rematch against Tyron Woodley, edging Paul's sparring partner Anthony Taylor to earn the majority decision win.