Editor’s word: This text was initially printed at MMAJunkie.com.
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Jake Paul expects different UFC fighters to comply with in Francis Ngannou’s footsteps after he landed the big-money Tyson Fury combat he was after.
Ngannou will face Fury in a 10-round boxing match Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fury was granted “particular permission” by the WBC to field Ngannou, who will likely be making his boxing debut in opposition to the very best heavyweight on the earth
Paul, who signed a multifight contract with PFL in the beginning of the 12 months, believes Ngannou has set the precedent of how you can deal with free company, displaying that there’s extra money to be made exterior of the UFC.
“I’m blissful for him, and I feel he’s creating historical past by displaying UFC fighters they will make a lot extra money by being in charge of their very own future,” Paul advised MMA Junkie. “Which can be what Nate Diaz is doing.
“This needs to be Nate Diaz’s greatest payday, and that’s for sure going to be Francis’ greatest payday. Hopefully extra fighters comply with go well with, depart the UFC, come to the higher league, which is PFL, and in addition have the ability to field.
“They’re MMA fighters, however they will additionally field. So I feel extra fighters will comply with in his footsteps, and that’s what we’re doing with the PFL, and rising it’s giving fighters one other place to go as a substitute of it simply being a monopoly that the UFC has really created.
“Francis is the pioneer of that presently, and this combat is superb. It’s thrilling, and it’s enjoyable.”
Paul doesn’t suppose this combat harms boxing’s picture. If Floyd Mayweather may field Conor McGregor and get tens of millions to observe, then Paul doesn’t see why there can be a problem for Fury to field Ngannou.
“An enormous combat like this with international audiences and the 2 baddest males on the planet going at it is just good for everybody and all the pieces,” Paul mentioned. “Nobody criticized Floyd when he mainly got here out of retirement simply to combat Conor McGregor for lots of of tens of millions of {dollars}, however for some purpose, they need to criticize Tyson Fury.
“On the finish of the day, we’re fighters, we’re showmen, it’s the present enterprise, we’re prizefighters, we’re pugilists.”
