"Jake Shmall" - Fans react to Jake Paul moderating tense face-off between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira at PFL 9

Jake Paul moderated the Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira face-off inside the SmartCage at the PFL 9 (Aug. 23, 2024) event. Several fans seemed to suggest that the organization made a mistake by handing 'The Problem Child' the responsibility.

Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight champion, who departed the UFC in Jan. 2023 after failing to agree upon a new deal. 'The Predator' signed with the PFL in May 2023 and was made the Chairman of PFL Africa.

The Cameroonian-French fighter made his professional boxing debut in Oct. 2023, losing to the legendary Tyson Fury via split decision. Ngannou then boxed another great pugilist, Anthony Joshua, in March 2024. Joshua defeated 'The Predator' via second-round KO, marking the latter's first knockout loss and the first time he'd been stopped (lost via KO/TKO or submission) in any combat sport.

Meanwhile, Brazil's Renan Ferreira is the 2023 PFL heavyweight tournament winner and the PFL Champions vs. Bellator Champions heavyweight titlist. Presently, Ngannou is set to fight Ferreira for the PFL Heavyweight Superfight Championship. Their match will headline the PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants event on Oct. 19, 2024.

Watch Jake Paul moderate the in-cage face-off below:

Fight fans weighed in on the same, with many lambasting the PFL for having Jake Paul moderate the face-off for what many deem to be the organization's most high-profile matchup to date. One X user indicated that their bad marketing department is why they probably need Paul to promote the fight. Another similarly deemed the PFL "a clown show" for involving Paul in the segment.

Additionally, a netizen jestingly insinuated the PFL wanted Paul to be hurt in a potential face-off altercation between the heavyweight giants:

"I think the pfl wants Jake to catch a stray."

Jake Paul has long accused the UFC and its CEO Dana White of underpaying their fighters. Incidentally, White has moderated many face-offs in the UFC. On that note, a commenter asserted that Paul was copying White.

Multiple observers opined that Paul would've gotten hurt if Ngannou and Ferreira decided to fight right there. A fan pointed out Paul being undersized next to them and wrote:

"Jake Shmall"

Check out the screenshots of a few reactions below:

Screenshots of reactions

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Jake Paul's hilarious take on moderating Francis Ngannou-Renan Ferreira press conference face-off

YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) signed a multi-year deal with the PFL in 2023. Paul has called out the likes of MMA icon Nate Diaz to fight him in the PFL, but his MMA debut hasn't materialized yet. The 27-year-old Paul faces boxing legend Mike Tyson in an exhibition boxing match on Nov. 15, 2024.

Prior to the recent in-cage face-off between Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, they partook in a face-off at the PFL Super Fights promotional press conference. Jake Paul moderated that face-off as well. Alluding to being undersized in the face-off, Paul lightheartedly suggested he wouldn't have intervened if they started fighting:

"I'm not gonna lie, but I wouldn't have done anything if they would've started fighting. I was trying to hold them back, and it wasn't doing anything. They're very, very, very strong."

Watch Paul address the press conference face-off below (1:43):