Jake Paul explains callout of UFC champ Alex Pereira

After Jake Paul defeated Mike Perry, the primary identify he dropped on the microphone was his subsequent take a look at, Mike Tyson.

That didn’t come as a shock. Paul has repeatedly voiced curiosity in sure matchups over time. Tyson is one. Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz (once more) are others.

However a brand new identify got here out of his mouth Saturday at Amalie Area in Tampa, Fla., when he known as out UFC gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

“I need all people,” Paul mentioned at a post-fight information convention. “I really like this sport. He’s tweeted about wanting to enter boxing. We bought him on the FaceTime proper there within the ring. I mentioned, ‘Yo, are you able to get out of your contract?’ If he can get out of his contract, then let’s run it. Once I requested him that, he had a pause. He checked out his supervisor (Ed Soares). These guys aren’t their very own bosses. I need all of the smoke.”

Whereas potential matchups all the time get fight sports activities communities buzzing, the probability of the combat truly occurring is low, admitted Paul.

Pereira remains to be below contract with the UFC, a corporation that has proven zero curiosity in co-promotion of any form.

“On the finish of the day, will Dana (White) let him out?” Paul mentioned. “That’s too huge of a danger if I can embarrass his No. 1-praised fighter proper now. However I need all of the smoke. I need all of the MMA guys. I’ve overwhelmed all of them. And who’s subsequent? He’s the king proper now of the UFC. I need him. I wish to decapitate him and dethrone him.”

Paul’s callout didn’t fall on deaf ears. He shared a FaceTime with Pereira and supervisor Ed Soares within the minutes following the bout. A video posted Sunday by Pereira exhibits Paul ask Pereira to combat, to which Pereira responded, ‘Let’s go.’” However even then, the contractual difficulty is acknowledged by Paul.

Taking Paul out of the image, Pereira not too long ago publicly displayed curiosity in boxing after a social media coaxing by Anthony Joshua.

“Simply to be clear, it was Anthony Joshua who mentioned Pereira ought to enter the boxing ring,” Most Beneficial Promotions consultant Nakisa Bidarian mentioned on the identical information convention Saturday. “Pereira mentioned, ‘I’m honored. I’d like to. Who ought to I combat?’ When Jake noticed that he mentioned, ‘Hey, he ought to combat me.’ And we mentioned, ‘Nicely, he signed to the UFC.’ And that was the idea of that dialogue.”

Paul will combat 58-year-old Mike Tyson on Nov. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The combat was initially scheduled for Saturday, however was postponed as a result of a medical difficulty with Tyson.

Pereira doesn’t presently have a combat on the books. He most not too long ago competed at UFC 303 in June when he defeated Jiri Prochazka for the second time.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for Paul vs. Perry.