YouTube star Jake Paul waited for his moment and cashed in with a perfectly timed right hand that sent former UFC champ Tyron Woodley crashing to the canvas Saturday night.
The moment came in the sixth round of the pair’s rematch at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida. The first time they clashed, Paul won a split decision over Woodley.
This time, the judges would not be needed.
WATCH:
Woodley took the match on only two weeks’ notice after Tommy Fury, half-brother to Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury, had to withdraw for medical reasons.
Still, regardless of Woodley’s lack of prep time, Paul’s devastating knockout of a highly-respected former UFC champion is an incredible achievement.
After the fight, Paul called out other UFC stars such as Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, Conor McGregor, and others, as he threatened to “embarrass” all of UFC President Dana White’s top talent.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 18: Jake Paul fights Tyron Woodley during a Paul Woodley II on December 18, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
It should be noted that the two UFC fighters Paul has faced – Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley – both made their names as wrestlers and were taught striking later on, especially in the case of Askren, who is almost exclusively a wrestler. On the other hand, Paul was a career YouTuber before turning pro in 2020. So, he still deserves immense credit for dominating professional fighters of any type. However, for his next fight, it might be better to see Paul face off against a UFC fighter who is more of a striker than a ground fighter, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, for example.
It would also be good to see Paul fight someone closer to his size. The fight with Woodley was set at 192 pounds. Woodley fought at 170 in the UFC. That’s not a small difference. That extra weight gives Paul a massive edge in power and gives Woodley a massive problem in the sense that he’s going to be slower and tire out more quickly because he’s not used to carrying that extra weight in a fight.
Not to mention the big reach advantage Paul has against smaller fighters.
“Wonderboy” also fights at 170, so maybe a strike-first fighter in the higher weight classes would be better. In any event, it’s time for Paul to show what he can do against a striker his own size.
Either that or agree to fight one of these UFC guys with MMA rules.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.