{"id":502157,"date":"2026-02-27T02:58:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T02:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/502157\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T02:58:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T02:58:14","slug":"ufc-star-ilia-topuria-jake-paul-clash-in-heated-on-air-confrontation-agree-to-spar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/502157\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC star Ilia Topuria, Jake Paul clash in heated on-air confrontation, agree to spar"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Combat sports fans got a front-row show Thursday as UFC superstar Ilia Topuria and social-media boxing sensation Jake Paul went head-to-head in a fiery on-air confrontation.<\/p>\n<p>The undefeated two-division champ joined Adin Ross\u2019s popular Kick stream, where Ross asked him point-blank if Paul is any good at boxing. <\/p>\n<p>UFC 326 Holloway vs Oliveira 2 | SUN 8 MARCH 1PM AEDT | After 11 years removed from their first encounter, Max Holloway will face the former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira for the BMF Championship, in Las Vegas. | <a href=\"https:\/\/mainevent.kayosports.com.au\/ufc\/ufc-326?pg=default&amp;extcamp=fsaeditoriallinkmma-edt-fsp-lnk-awr-grc-mma-kyo&amp;channel=fsa&amp;campaign=fsacontra&amp;voucher=\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img class=\"i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/poster-fallback.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Topuria laughed and delivered a blunt response.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe\u2019s a very bad boxer,\u201d Topuria replied.<\/p>\n<p>Things quickly escalated when Ross put Paul on a live call, giving the two a chance to go at it directly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHey, I respect you, bro. I think you\u2019re awesome,\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI just think if you think I\u2019m a bad boxer, then we should spar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Topuria, widely recognised as one of the best boxers in the UFC, didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, whenever you want,\u201d Topuria replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m open to it.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But he couldn\u2019t resist a jab about Paul\u2019s recent injury.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour jaw is okay already?\u201d he enquired, referencing his brutal KO loss to Anthony Joshua.<\/p>\n<p>Paul boasted that plenty of UFC stars have backed out of sparring sessions against him \u2013 including British superstar Paddy Pimblett.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI offered to send him my jet and a million dollars and he wouldn\u2019t do it,\u201d said Paul.<\/p>\n<p>Topuria wasn\u2019t buying it. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a YouTuber and streamer, you\u2019re the best boxer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut compared to real boxers? You\u2019d never be on that list.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a boxer, you suck.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paul fired back: \u201cWhen I beat your ass in sparring, what you gonna say?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Topuria cut in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you get your jaw healed, let\u2019s do it,\u201d he said<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust get ready, because you\u2019ll need another recovery period.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paul said he wouldn\u2019t need his jaw healed because MMA fighters are \u201ctrash\u201d at boxing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI beat all of the best in your sport &#8212; that\u2019s actually a fact,\u201d said Paul.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re a little guy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re 5\u20196! <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can\u2019t even ride rollercoasters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>MIAMI, FLORIDA &#8211; DECEMBER 19: (R-L) Anthony Joshua punches Jake Paul in their heavyweight bout during Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua at Kaseya Center on December 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Leonardo Fernandez\/Getty Images\/AFP (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP<\/p>\n<p>Topuria agreed that he was significantly shorter than Paul, but would still win. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m going to give you a combo that put you to the height of my b***s,\u201d Topuria said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re gonna be on your f***ing knees.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Topuria then indicated that in an MMA fight he would really dominate Paul.<\/p>\n<p>Paul said he wouldn\u2019t back down from that either. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh, we can do that too,\u201d he fired back. <\/p>\n<p>The wild confrontation comes just a day after boxing legend Terence Crawford<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com.au\/boxing\/it-was-scripted-boxing-superstar-believes-tysonpaul-blockbuster-was-staged\/news-story\/7cb1cd1f8118e7a4034eccc28f2c7df7\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"> claimed that Paul\u2019s 2024 showdown with Mike Tyson was \u201cscripted<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Like many other fight fans, Crawford thought something was off about the whole affair. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it was scripted,\u201d he told Joe Rogan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI ain\u2019t never seen Tyson biting his gloves and \u2013 it was taking all that he could not to hit him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was just like, it\u2019s heartbreaking to see an icon go out like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite a broken jaw suffered in his fight against Joshua, Paul has still found success in boxing \u2013 even if his opponents haven\u2019t always been the toughest. <\/p>\n<p>Taking on crossover MMA stars like Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz, and Anderson Silva has delivered massive paydays and kept him in the spotlight. <\/p>\n<p>Topuria, meanwhile, is eyeing a return to the Octagon this year after settling some personal matters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn summer, hopefully,\u201d Topuria said about when he expects to fight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c&#8230; I don\u2019t know [if I\u2019m fighting at the White House]. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like, you don\u2019t say to the UFC how to make fights and where they have to put you, and they don\u2019t tell you how to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA &#8211; FEBRUARY 17: Alexander Volkanovski of Australia exchanges strikes with Ilia Topuria in their featherweight title fight during UFC 298Source: AFP<\/p>\n<p>\u2018El Matador\u2019 is reportedly being lined up for a title unification clash with Justin Gaethje as the potential main event of the White House card. <\/p>\n<p>While the UFC hasn\u2019t officially confirmed any fights, Dana White has revealed that the matchmaking for the historic event is already done.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs of right now, I have no f***ing idea what\u2019s going on,\u201d Topuria said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201c&#8230; I know that I\u2019m going to fight in the summer, but I don\u2019t have any specific date or place \u2013 but I know I\u2019m going to fight. I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Topuria also suggested that the UFC should create another belt that he could fight for against Islam Makhachev. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe perfect scenario for me would be fighting him in the welterweight division, because that way, I\u2019m going to be able to collect my third belt,\u201d Topuria said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut also it would be a great scenario for me to fight between 155 and 170, and create a new belt. <\/p>\n<p>Volk wants quick turnaround | 03:19<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy not call it pound-for-pound, because he\u2019s the No. 1, I\u2019m the No. 2 right now. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, and myself, I\u2019m the No. 1. You put two of the best guys in the world, you put the pound-for-pound belt in the middle. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhoever wins is the best.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Combat sports fans got a front-row show Thursday as UFC superstar Ilia Topuria and social-media boxing sensation Jake&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":502158,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447],"tags":[703,49,48,82],"class_list":["post-502157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-boxing","tag-boxing","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=502157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/502157\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/502158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=502157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=502157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=502157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}