Jake Paul has a retirement plan, and it runs 14 fights deep.
Paul posted the list on X on October 8 under the heading “Before I rest…” and tagged MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian with a simple order: “Make it happen.” Here’s the full menu, in his order: Canelo Alvarez, Francis Ngannou, Conor McGregor (boxing and MMA), Sean Strickland, Darren Till, Ryan Garcia, KSI, Chris Eubank, Edgar Berlanga, Tom Aspinall (boxing), Deontay Wilder, Nate Diaz (MMA), somebody he labels only as “Midget who ruined our fight” and, at No. 14, a world title. VOI reported the list as Paul wanting 14 more fights before he retires. That tracks, because the post has exactly 14 entries.
The timing matters. The same week, MVP announced that Paul has officially been cleared to return to the ring, and Bidarian used the moment to fire back at the critics. “The ‘YouTuber’ never left boxing. He reinvigorated the sport,” he said in a clip MVP posted on X. So the guy has his medical green light and a shopping list. Now he needs signatures.
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Strickland is the name with heat on it
Of the 14, Strickland is the only one actively talking about fighting Paul this week. The two-time UFC middleweight champ, who won his second title with a split decision over the previously unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, went on a posting spree October 7 about his pay. He compared his money to McGregor’s and to the reported $15 million Zuffa Boxing deal for Conor Benn, then floated a wild exit plan.
“Contemplating just going to 205, knocking out my contract and scrapping with Jake Paul. That sounds fun,” Strickland wrote, per MMA Fighting.
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Paul answered the next day on X: “Sean Strickland I see your texts but are you out of contract? Tell your “promoter” to call MVP.”
That’s the snag. MMA Fighting noted it isn’t known how many bouts Strickland has left on his UFC deal, and the UFC appears to want him defending against Nassourdine Imavov, who confronted Strickland in Las Vegas this week over the delay in booking their rematch. Strickland also mused about becoming “the new unfiltered face of paramount,” so his week has been productive in the chaos department, if nowhere else.
MMA Fighting’s Morning Report set the over/under on how many of the 14 Paul actually lands at 3.5, which is a fair line.
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Quick take
I love a guy who writes his hit list in public, because now we get to grade him on it. Some of these are pure fantasy booking. Tom Aspinall is the UFC’s heavyweight problem and has his own business to handle, and the McGregor MMA fight belongs on a vision board next to a Lamborghini. But KSI, Till, Diaz and Garcia are real, sellable fights with history attached, and Strickland is the one that could make the most noise fastest if his contract math ever works out. My pick is the over on 3.5, barely, and only if Bidarian treats this list like a work order instead of a tweet. And somebody please tell me who the midget is, because that’s the press conference I’m buying a ticket for.
