Latest news with #UFC203
USA Today
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bruce Buffer thinks Logan Paul could compete in the UFC: 'He's a supreme athlete'
Bruce Buffer believes Logan Paul is capable of competing in the UFC. Paul, who performs as a WWE star, revealed that UFC CEO Dana White ignored his text message asking if he could be part of UFC 300 last April. Paul wrestled in high school and college. He's also boxed against Floyd Mayweather (exhibition), KSI and Dillon Danis. Buffer, the UFC voice of the octagon, says Paul has enough of a background to compete in the cage. "He's got a pedigree in wrestling," Buffer told TMZ of Paul. "Not just the WWE, he has a pedigree in colligate wrestling if I'm not mistaken. He's quite the athlete. One thing about Logan is he's a supreme athlete. I think, and I've been asked this before, like anybody else, you're talking about 40 weapons in mixed martial arts vs. two weapons in theMarquess of Queensberry Rules of the amazing sport of boxing. He's boxed, he's doing the wrestling. If he trains properly for MMA, I think he could compete in the UFC. It's a matter of who he goes up against." WWE star CM Punk tried his hand at MMA, making his debut in the octagon at UFC 203 in 2016. He was quickly submitted by Mickey Gall, then lost his second appearance to Mike Jackson by unanimous decision at UFC 225 in 2018, which was later overturned to a no contest after Jackson tested positive for marijuana. Punk trained at Roufus Sport with the likes of UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Buffer advises Paul to also seek high-level training if he were given the opportunity for a UFC fight. "Logan, if you're going to train with somebody, train with the best, and I'm sure Logan definitely could afford to train with the best," Buffer said. "Just to watch Logan walk into the octagon would bring a lot of eyeballs to the sport from his fanbase."
USA Today
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Logan Paul reveals Dana White ignored his offer to fight at UFC 300: 'I'm not CM Punk'
Logan Paul was hoping to be a part of the UFC's historic 300th pay-per-view show. WWE star Paul revealed that he asked Dana White if he could be a part of UFC 300 last April, but the UFC CEO didn't respond to his text. Unlike Paul's brother Jake, Logan has a good relationship with White. Paul wrestled in high school and college, and thinks he would have had potential to do well in the octagon. In 2020, Paul sparred former title challenger Paulo Costa at the UFC Performance Institute, and appeared to hold his own in the grappling. 'I told Dana for UFC 300, I texted him, 'Hey man, consider me available to fight on the undercard in the Sphere,'' Paul said on his IMPAULSIVE podcast. 'Basically, completely ignored me, which I think spoke volumes. I haven't bothered him about it since. I think for the right fight, the right amount of money (I would do it). Man, I'm an entertainer at the end of the day.' It wouldn't have been the first time a WWE star competed in the UFC. CM Punk decided to transition to MMA, and made his debut in the octagon at UFC 203 in 2016. He was quickly submitted by Mickey Gall, then lost his second appearance to Mike Jackson by unanimous decision at UFC 225 in 2018, which was later overturned to a no contest after Jackson tested positive for marijuana. Paul insists he would have done better than Punk. 'He f*cked it up,' Paul said of Punk. 'He f*cked it up, and after that Dana was like, 'I'm never doing this again.' But, dude, I'm not CM Punk. He's a great wrestler, not a UFC fighter. I think I would be a much better UFC fighter than I would be as just a boxer. My skill is wrestling. I am a wrestler by trade. 'I think I found a path. I'm a WWE Superstar now, and it's one of the only things I've done in my life where I feel so at home like, 'Oh you were kind of meant to do this thing.' I don't know if I want to turn away from that at the moment and dedicate time to something that would be like a side quest at this point.'
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Logan Paul Wanted A UFC Fight, Says WWE Rival Ruined His Chances
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 26: Logan Paul attends Max's "Paul American" premiere on March 26, 2025 ... More in New York City. (Photo by) Logan Paul seriously wanted to fight on the undercard at the Sphere for Noche UFC. Paul says UFC CEO Dana White ignored him, and he thinks he knows why. On a recent episode of Paul's podcast, Impaulsive, he discussed the relationship between his brother Jake Paul and UFC CEO Dana White, but he also made mention of his desire to fight in the UFC. 'I told Dana for UFC 300, I texted him, like, 'Hey man, consider me available to fight on the undercard in the Sphere (Noche UFC),'' Paul said to his guest, current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. 'He basically ignored me, which I think spoke volumes. I haven't hit him about it since. But you know, I think for the right fight and the right amount of money... like, man, I'm an entertainer at the end of the day.' Aspinall asked Paul if he followed the 'CM Punk saga.' "He f##### it up," Paul said. 'He f##### it up and Dana was like, 'I'm never doing this again.' But like, dude, I'm not CM Punk. He's a great wrestler, but not a great UFC fighter. I think I would be a much better UFC fighter than I am a boxer.' Here is a look at the entire episode. For those who are unaware, CM Punk embarked on a side quest so massive that it might only be topped by the career Jake Paul has carved out for himself in boxing, or what Michael Jordan did from 1993–1995 when he retired from the NBA and pursued a career with Major League Baseball. Punk stepped away from WWE and professional wrestling in 2014 while he healed up from a myriad of injuries. In December 2014, he signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC and made his debut in the Octagon in September 2016 against Mickey Gall. CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 10: (R-L) Mickey Gall attempts to submit Phil 'CM Punk' Brooks in their ... More welterweight bout during the UFC 203 event at Quicken Loans Arena on September 10, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Gall quickly submitted Punk in the first round to hand the WWE legend the loss. Punk's second fight happened in June 2018 when he lost via unanimous decision to Mike Jackson. The result of the fight was changed to a no contest when it was revealed Jackson tested positive for marijuana. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 09: (R-L) Mike Jackson punches CM Punk in their welterweight fight during ... More the UFC 225 event at the United Center on June 9, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Yes, that is peculiar. Nonetheless, Punk had two very unsuccessful, farcical moments in the Octagon, so there could be some credence to Paul's thought that White wanted nothing else to do with a crossover fight from a WWE Superstar. To add a little more interest to this story, Punk and Paul have been rivals here and there with the WWE, so the scripted friction spices things up a little. As Aspinall mentioned, Paul is twice the athlete Punk is, and he's significantly younger. Paul is 29, and Punk was 37 years old when he lost to Gall. Even with more athleticism and youth on his side, Paul knows he wouldn't be able to dedicate the time necessary to contend or fight dedicated mixed martial artists. As he mentioned, he would target people with similar or no MMA experience who also have a big name. Paul repeatedly said he is a full-time WWE Superstar and feels at home, but you could tell that if the right opportunity presented itself, he'd train and hop in the Octagon to check another box off his insane list of life accomplishments.
