Conor McGregor might step back into combat sports outside the UFC. The former two-division champion got an offer to fight Jake Paul, who's ready to meet him in MMA.
McGregor, now 36, hasn't fought since he broke his leg in July 2021. His UFC comeback is still up in the air. The Irishman's impressive 22-6 record in MMA includes title wins in two weight classes.
Jake Paul, the 28-year-old boxer turned MMA fighter, wants to face McGregor. Paul's coming off a win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and now ranks 14th in the WBA rankings with a 12-1 record.
On the JAXXON Podcast, Paul made his challenge clear:
"I'll fight him in MMA. That's what I said. Yeah 100 percent."
Paul feels good about his chances. He wrestled in high school and claims he once pinned a two-time NCAA champ in 20 seconds. He plans to work on his jiu-jitsu to get ready for a possible ground fight.
The fight won't happen in the UFC. Paul and Dana White don't get along because of arguments about fighter pay. It'll likely go down in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where Paul already competes.
McGregor hasn't said anything about the offer yet.
Mike Perry, who co-owns Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), also wants a piece of the action. He lost to Paul by TKO earlier this year and wants a rematch under BKFC rules. Perry's also calling out UFC fighter Darren Till and McGregor. He told Newsweek:
"Everybody wants to see me and Conor fight in Bare Knuckle."
If McGregor fights outside the UFC, it could cost Dana White and the company a lot of money. But for McGregor, it might be a way to get back into fighting without dealing with the UFC.
