Legendary MMA coach Eric Nicksick believes Jake Paul’s first MMA fight should come against Francis Ngannou, and that the crossover matchup now “sticks out” as the one to make. Speaking about Paul’s long-discussed move to MMA, the Xtreme Couture head coach pointed to the recent back-and-forth between Paul and Ngannou as the key factor that pushed the idea from fantasy to a realistic option.
Why Francis Ngannou Vs. Jake Paul in MMA is the Fight To Make
Nicksick referenced Paul’s public callouts of Ngannou following the former UFC heavyweight champion’s high-profile boxing run, and said that if Paul truly wants to “jump in the deep end,” there is no bigger test than facing Ngannou in a cage. He added that when he stands next to Ngannou, despite being around Paul’s size, he feels “like a little kid,” a line that shows the physical gap Paul would have to deal with at heavyweight. Speaking to Action Network, he explained:
“The name that’s always going to stick out there now [for Jake Paul’s MMA debut] is going to be Francis, because of the boxing element, and Jake calling out Francis. I don’t know where Francis is at with his negotiations or his contracts with PFL. But, definitely, that’s a fight that would be cool, if the money’s right. And after that little dialogue back and forth of these guys talking shit to each other, then you might as well if you want to jump in the deep end, and you want to fight Francis, because I’ll tell you what, man, I’m probably the same size as Jake and when I stand next to Francis, I feel like a little kid.”
Paul signed a multifight, multiyear deal with the Professional Fighters League in early 2023, giving him a platform for a future MMA debut while he continued his boxing career. PFL leadership has since reiterated that the YouTuber-turned-fighter remains committed to competing in the SmartCage but Jake Paul recently stepped away from the PFL.
Paul, through Most Valuable Promotions, is now promoting MMA with its debut main event Gina Carano vs. Ronda Rousey on Netflix. Jake Paul vs. Francis Ngannou on Netflix could be a major event.
Ngannou’s situation is more fluid. After leaving the UFC as heavyweight champion, he signed a multifight PFL deal in 2023 that granted him MMA exclusivity on pay-per-view while allowing separate boxing contracts and giving him an executive role with PFL Africa. Ngannou debuted for PFL in October 2024, defeating Renan Ferreira and becoming the promotion’s first Super Fight heavyweight champion, before shifting focus between MMA and marquee boxing bouts against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
In late 2025, Ngannou indicated that his PFL deal is set to expire in time for a planned UFC event at the White House in mid-2026, raising questions over where he will compete next and how a potential Paul fight would be structured.
That uncertainty did not stop Nicksick from endorsing the matchup. He noted he is unsure where Ngannou’s current negotiations with PFL stand but stressed that, if the financial offer is right, a Paul–Ngannou MMA fight “would be cool” given their shared boxing history and trash talk. For PFL or any promotion willing to stage it, the bout would combine one of the sport’s most feared heavyweights with one of combat sports’ biggest influencers, and Nicksick clearly sees it as the standout choice for Paul’s first step into MMA.
