This time, Jake Paul was not facing Nate Robinson, but a decorated MMA fighter, and the result was the same.
Paul, a YouTube sensation, eliminated Ben Askren in the first round of his Saturday night cruising fight at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium with his right hand on his head.
The Triller Fight Club event aired on FITE.tv for $ 49.99 and the main event fight lasted less than two minutes.
The stop was questionable. Askren, 36, wanted to continue, but referee Brian Stutts said he was out of shape and stopped at 1:59.
Askren, who holds a 19-2-0 (one no contest) record in the UFC, didn’t look crushed after the loss. According to CBS Sports, he was shown smiling behind the scenes smiling after the fight and apparently was in a good mood after earning $ 500,000 in payment disclosed for the fight.
Paul, 24, an influencer on social media who insists he is a true boxer, has yet to fight a professional, but this was his first win over a professional fighter. He is now 3-0 with three playoffs with previous wins over Robinson and AnEsonGib, a fellow YouTuber.
“This is the craziest time of my life,” said Paul, who did push-ups in the ring after the win. “I told everyone I would do it in the first round. I told them I was a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I’ve been able to prove it’s real.
“It’s been four months, I’ve been to the training camp every day. He deserves that. I don’t know how many times I have to prove it’s real.
Paul, a showman who took a stunning Kevin Owens in a WrestleMania 37 game last week, doesn’t have these best fighters trembling in his boots, judging by his reactions on Twitter.
Nate Robinson, who was attacked for fighting Paul, now has rights to boast of lasting longer in the ring against the YouTube star. The former Knick and NBA slam-dunk champion was eliminated in the second round in his Nov. 28 battle.