Javier Mendez 'is sure' Jake Paul could cut it in the octagon

Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach Javier Mendez ‘is sure’ Jake Paul could cut it in the octagon with his wrestling and boxing skills, but dismisses Youtuber-turned-boxer’s claims his team are ‘100 per cent’ going to train him for MMA switch

  • Javier Mendez trained several world champions such as Khabib Nurmagomedov
  • But he has distanced himself from claims he will be coaching Jake Paul in MMA 
  • Paul had suggested he would be with ‘Team Khabib’ should he make the switch 

Jake Paul has received the backing of Javier Mendez that he has what it takes to cut it if he does decide to make the transition into MMA that he has been hinting at. 

Mendez, widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches in the game, having worked with world champions Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Cormier and Luke Rockhold, is ‘sure’ Paul could make an impact. 

The YouTuber-turned-boxer is currently in preparations for a boxing match against former UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, which is set to take place on October 29.

Javier Mendez (R) has coached several world champions including Khabib Nurmagomedov (L)

Mendez told MMA Junkie: ‘Jacob Chavez is a very close friend of mine and he’s an AKA coach.He trained Blagoy Ivanov [a UFC heavyweight], that’s how I met him and he’s with Jake Paul. 

‘I don’t really know anything else other than he’s training with an AKA coach which is Jacob Chavez, that’s all.

‘If Jake Paul wanted to do MMA, I’m sure he can. He’s a wrestler and now he’s got boxing, and he’s a great athlete. So I think getting him ready wouldn’t take too long, but at the same time too, it depends on the level, you know, where you’re going to put him.

Mendez said he was ‘sure’ YouTuber-turned-boxer could compete in MMA if he wanted to

‘You can’t put him in with someone that’s got great jiu-jitsu or great wrestling. They can take him down because he’s not going to be able to survive that. So, he’s going to need time.’

Paul has repeatedly suggested a switch from the ring to the octagon, including notably in the build up to his rematch with Tyron Woodley.

‘For sure I will,’ the 25-year-old told the media in December 2021 when discussing his planned switch to MMA. ‘People seem to forget that I was a state wrestler, division one in Ohio.

The internet star will fight against UFC legend Anderson Silva in his sixth professional bout

‘I’m going to go and get coached up by Javier Mendez, Team Khabib and that’s that. They’re down, 100 per cent.

‘I’ve got to go 10-0 or 12-0 in boxing first and then I’ll hit that MMA fight.’

But the suggestion he would be under the wing of Mendez was quickly quashed, with the ace trainer telling The Schmoo: ‘It could happen but like anybody you know we have to go through all the coaches and all the fighters that are here and anybody that’s a famous athlete like him. 

The American is undefeated in his five previous professional bouts – with four KOs on record

‘They will go through the routine that everybody does so he would have to get voted by everybody.

‘First of all, he’s never asked. What he’s done is he’s marketed himself beautifully. I loved the plug he gave us, I think it was a fantastic plug and I think he’s a fantastic person. 

‘But the reality is no matter who you are, you have to go through the team to get consent to train with us.

‘He hasn’t been given consent because he hasn’t asked, it’s not that he won’t I just know he hasn’t asked. If he does get denied, he won’t know who denied him cause we don’t say that.’ 




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