WWE superstar Logan Paul has disclosed that he reached out to UFC CEO Dana White about potentially making his mixed martial arts debut at a major event, only to be met with silence.
During the latest episode of his podcast, the 29-year-old entertainer shared that he had texted White expressing interest in competing on a high-profile UFC card.
“I told Dana for UFC 300, I texted him ‘Hey man, consider me available to fight on the undercard in the Sphere,'” Paul said. “Basically completely ignored me, which I think speaks volumes. I haven’t bothered him about it since.”
The social media personality turned professional wrestler referenced both UFC 300, which took place in April at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, and the UFC event held at the Sphere. Despite his interest, White’s lack of response effectively shut down the possibility.
Paul suggested he would consider stepping into the octagon “for the right fight, the right amount of money,” adding, “I’m an entertainer at the end of the day.”
Unlike many celebrities who have expressed interest in combat sports, Paul brings legitimate athletic credentials to the table. He was a standout wrestler in Ohio, finishing third in the state finals, and has boxing experience that includes a bout with Floyd Mayweather.
“I think I would be a much better UFC fighter than I would just a boxer,” Paul explained. “My skill is wrestling. I’m a wrestler.”
The WWE star speculated that CM Punk’s unsuccessful UFC run might have soured White on giving professional wrestlers another chance in the octagon. Punk signed with UFC in 2014 after leaving WWE but struggled in his two appearances, losing to Mickey Gall and Mike Jackson before returning to professional wrestling.
“He messed it up,” Paul said about Punk. “And after that Dana was like ‘I’m never doing this again.’ But dude, I’m not CM Punk. He’s a great wrestler, not a UFC fighter.”
Despite the rejection, Paul appears content with his current career path in WWE, where he has found considerable success.
“I think I found a path,” Paul reflected. “I’m a WWE superstar now, and it’s one of the only things I’ve done in my life where I feel so at home like ‘oh you were kind of meant to do this thing.’ I don’t know if I want to turn away from that at the moment and dedicate time to something that would be like a side quest at this point.”
For now, fans of the controversial personality will have to be satisfied watching him perform in the wrestling ring rather than the UFC octagon.
