Jake Paul Calls Out Alex Pereira; Dana White Responds
Jake Paul called out UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira after stopping Mike Perry by sixth-round TKO in a boxing match on July 20, 2024. Pereira responded positively on Instagram, but UFC president Dana White dismissed the proposed matchup and questioned whether a commission would approve it. No bout was agreed or scheduled.
Paul issued the challenge after the Perry fight
Paul faced Perry, a former UFC fighter competing in bare-knuckle boxing, at Tampa’s Amalie Arena. Paul won when the referee stopped the contest in round six. In his post-fight remarks, he challenged Pereira to meet him in a boxing match. Pereira later appeared on a FaceTime call with Paul and answered with “Let’s go” and “Chama,” signaling interest in the idea. That exchange was not a contract or a confirmation that negotiations had begun.
MMA Fighting’s report on Paul’s callout and Pereira’s response covered the exchange the day after the fight.
White was skeptical
Speaking on the Full Send Podcast in August, White said Pereira would “kick [Paul’s] head to another planet” and questioned whether a commission would allow the bout. He also characterized Paul’s callout as a bid for attention and claimed Pereira generated far more pay-per-view interest. White’s “400 times” comparison was his own estimate; the promotion had not released comparable sales figures to substantiate it. MMA Fighting reported White’s comments.
No bout was confirmed
Paul’s challenge, Pereira’s social-media reaction and White’s remarks fueled discussion, but they did not establish that the two had agreed to box. A matchup would involve separate questions about rules, licensing and Pereira’s UFC commitments. At the time of White’s response, neither a date nor an official agreement had been announced.
The episode showed how quickly a post-fight callout can generate attention across boxing and MMA. Whether the idea could move beyond social-media exchanges remained unresolved.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: Paul calls out Pereira; Pereira responds
- MMA Fighting: Dana White reacts to the callout
Tags: MMA
