According to Daniel Cormier, Jake Paul’s toughest test to date would be against Nate Diaz.
After the UFC declined Diaz’s exclusive negotiation time on Monday night, he became a free agent. Paul immediately challenged Diaz as the news surfaced, and Cormier is anticipating a battle between the two.
Last month, Paul won his greatest fight to date, an eight-round boxing contest against former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, whom Paul knocked down and eventually defeated. Cormier, on the other hand, believes that a bout with Diaz would be even more lucrative for Paul.
“I think Diaz is gonna fight Jake Paul,” Cormier said.
“Everything seems right for that to be the fight just because Nate is the opponent type that we seem to see Jake Paul in with. A guy that is no longer in the UFC, a guy that has a boxing background or has the ability to box but not seem as dangerous.
“I thought Anderson Silva was very dangerous, but as you know, Nate beats you with volume. He isn’t a guy that just knocks you out. So I think that kind of plays to what Jake Paul would look for and an opponent, especially a guy that can help to move the needle, because he’s never had a guy in there with him that moves the needle like Nathan Diaz.”
The tension between Paul and Diaz, which might lead to a fight, has been rising for some time. Diaz had a fight with several of Paul’s crew members backstage at the Showtime PPV last month, when the YouTube sensation had beaten Silva.