If there's one thing the Paul brothers know how to do, it's how to draw interest in fights. While the world is still obsessed with Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and the legitimacy of that fight, even Floyd Mayweather has forgotten his brother Logan was the first to do it. Paul has expressed interest and hyped a $250 million bout against Conor McGregor in India, but McGregor says it's Paul that's partly to blame for why the fight may actually never happen.
McGregor, in between photo opportunities with the Paul Brothers, spoke to The Schmo about the rumors of this India boxing event, which still has yet to officially be set in stone. While Logan Paul has continued to hype the event in interviews, the former UFC champion gave a more pessimistic update on it happening, noting that his employer isn't down for the idea:
It is what it is. The UFC just aren't into it. The offer was there on the table, in writing. Both athletes will say, he's not a fighter, but whatever, both athletes under the TKO banner. UFC, WWE, both rising up. The stock price of TKO Holding Group, through the roof. New market in India opened up and booming. It was business savvy and business sense to make the fight happen, or should I say, the glorified spar happen, and in between this wait, this waiting period that we find ourselves in before I can get back to the octagon. It made perfect sense on the calendar to go ahead with it. The UFC weren't into it. I'm not sure the WWE, what their interest was. I just knew the UFC weren't into it.
It's not too surprising to hear the UFC wasn't keen on seeing Conor McGregor fight Logan Paul in a boxing match. To start, they're not in the boxing business, they're in the MMA business. It's also worth noting that McGregor would be at a supreme disadvantage in a bout against Paul, standing at only 5'8 and 155 pounds to Paul 6'2 181 pound frame. Jake Paul has exposed many UFC fighters like Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, and Tyrone Woodley when they're forced to rely solely on boxing rather than MMA skills. In short, the UFC likely has no interest in seeing another one of their former champions potentially lose to a Paul brother.
McGregor doesn't seem phased by the challenge, and I'm sure the massive amount of money both fighters stand to make for the bout helps. All of that said, he feels that the UFC and powers that be at TKO Holdings might've been swayed had Logan Paul been as vocal about advocating for the fight internally as he had. As one of the rising stars in the WWE and with his drink Prime one of the major advertisers of both brands, Paul might have some pull in the company. That said, McGregor says his opponent hasn't tried to make it happen:
[Logan] just kept quiet. He didn't say anything. I was like, 'Mate, you need to say something. You need to open your fucking mouth.' I wasn't talking to him directly. He put up this video and edited it like I had to send him a voice note. I was talking to the fucking crowd that was the Ambani royal family of India. Then they were sending it to him. I was like, 'Mate, it's basic trying to get him to get going.' I had no problem doing that. To be honest, I would have done it either way.
Is Logan Paul ducking a fight with Conor McGregor? That could be the case, but it's also worth noting he has quite a few upcoming WWE events he may be a part of on the horizon. I would imagine he won't be able to commit to any fights until at least WrestleMania 41 is over, as it seems he's going to make an appearance in at least a few of the Premium Live Events scheduled in the months to come.
The strange part in this saga is that this all originally started as a feud between Jake Paul and Conor McGregor, with the fighter making a vow to take him on. Logan Paul even came to McGregor's defense at one point, saying it wasn't cool of his brother to take shots at McGregor's wife. At the time, he seemed to advocate against his brother taking on the former UFC champion, so I'm curious about what changed to the fact he's even considering a bout in India.
Conor McGregor has his doubts, but the big battle between him and Logan Paul remains in limbo for the time being. All we can do is wait and see if it is made official at some point, and given the litany of other impossible fights these two have made happen, I wouldn't rule it out yet.
