Throughout his boxing journey, YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul has built a reputation for taking on unexpected, and often controversial, matchups. However, that narrative took an intriguing twist last year when a viral social media post claimed MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov had called out Paul for a fight. The buzz grew last year after Paul defeated Mike Tyson. Naturally, the combat sports world quickly turned its attention to Paul’s next move. 

Would he face someone closer to his own age, another veteran, or a retired icon? As the hype continued to grow, an alleged tweet attributed to Nurmagomedov circulated online. “26 September 2025, I’m ready Jake…,” the post read. This fuelled rumors of a potential comeback by the ‘Eagle,’ who famously retired undefeated. The claim sent shockwaves through the combat sports landscape, with fans debating whether it could become one of the biggest crossover events ever.

But was the post actually legit? 

Did Khabib Nurmagomedov Tweet About Fighting Jake Paul on September 26, 2025?

When the alleged tweet attributed to Khabib Nurmagomedov went viral, it immediately sparked debate among fans and analysts. Many questioned what lured Khabib back, especially when even UFC CEO Dana White failed to convince him to return from retirement. But the post quickly lost credibility, as no reliable evidence surfaced to confirm its genuineness.

Even the idea of a deleted tweet failed to hold up. Jake Paul had already attempted to entice the ‘Eagle’ back during his five-fight winning run in 2022, and those efforts went nowhere. The UFC Hall of Famer, who retired unbeaten at 29–0 after submitting Justin Gaethje in his final UFC appearance in 2020, has repeatedly shut down any talk of facing Paul, whether in MMA or inside a boxing ring.

Why the Khabib vs Jake Paul Tweet Is Fake: Evidence Explained

Aside from that, Khabib Nurmagomedov has not shared any further updates on social media. Still, the buzz around a potential Jake Paul vs. Khabib matchup picked up when Paul talked about making his MMA debut. At that time, Nurmagomedov revealed that he had offered Paul a contract to compete in MMA under his co-owned promotion, Eagle FC.

“We offered him, we offered him (a contract),” Nurmagomedov said at the Eagle FC 44 event. “Now we’re waiting on his answer. If he wants, we’re here.”

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Jake Paul later dismissed the idea of fighting in MMA for Eagle FC unless it was against Khabib Nurmagomedov, whom he believes would bring significant value to his career.

“I would fight Khabib in MMA if they wanted to make that offer,” Paul said. “Cause that would be exciting. That would excite me, especially if I had more time to train,” Jake Paul told MMA Hour.

However, Khabib Nurmagomedov later dismissed Paul’s offer with a joke.

Khabib’s Previous Response to Jake Paul’s Fight Offer

Back in 2020, following the loss of his father, Khabib Nurmagomedov promised his mother that he would retire from fighting. On top of that, he had already taken his body to the extreme with brutal weight cuts to compete in the 155-pound division, even though he naturally weighs closer to light heavyweight. As one of the wealthiest fighters in the world, Nurmagomedov promptly dismissed Jake Paul’s fight offer.

The ‘Eagle’ stated, “[A fight] with me? Come on. Jake Paul, I don’t think so. In MMA, [he would last] a couple [of] minutes. He’s a little late because I’m finished.” This made it clear that the Dagestani native had no interest in facing Paul, even at the height of the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s hype. However, Nurmagomedov also emphasized that the doors of Eagle FC would always remain open for Jake Paul and his team.

Taken together, all of this confirms that Khabib Nurmagomedov’s alleged tweet calling out Jake Paul was entirely fabricated.