UFC legend urges Jake Paul to think twice about Francis Ngannou bout after brutal KO defeat

Jake Paul is already thinking about another big challenge despite just suffering his first knockout loss.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer had his jaw broken during a stoppage defeat on December 19.

Still, he earned some respect for lasting six rounds with the former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua. This is the same Joshua who stopped Francis Ngannou in just two rounds when they faced off in March 2025.

Paul was quick to highlight that he lasted longer against ‘AJ’ than the ex-UFC heavyweight champion did.

Daniel Cormier slams potential Jake Paul vs Francis Ngannou fight

During a recent episode of his brother Logan’s podcast, Jake Paul mentioned that he’d like to face off against Francis Ngannou next.

But not everyone is on board. UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier thinks it’s a bad idea that could end with another heavy knockout for Paul.

“Francis doesn’t know, Jake. Francis doesn’t know how to control and make sure the punches don’t put your lights out,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel.

Cormier, who once had issues with Jake, says he now respects him more because of what he’s taken on in the ring. Even so, he doesn’t think this is the right move.

“You’re telling me that this kid is gonna be able to fight Francis Ngannou because he did better against Anthony Joshua?

“MMA math does not work, and I don’t think it works in boxing either.”

Francis Ngannou’s next fight

Ngannou hasn’t stepped into the cage since October 2024, when he stopped Renan Ferreira in the opening round.

That bout marked his return to MMA following boxing matches against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He was expected to box again in 2025, but the big-name fights he was hoping for never came together.

The path forward became clearer when a new PFL heavyweight champion was crowned on December 13. Vadim Nemkov claimed the title with a win over Renan Ferreira, prompting Ngannou to respond on social media:

“I been ready for a long time,” he wrote on X. “See you soon…”

A matchup between Ngannou and Nemkov is reportedly in the works for early 2026 under the PFL banner.