Jake Paul has never been short on confidence or callouts. From Nate Diaz to Canelo Alvarez, the YouTuber-turned-boxer has built a career out of defying expectations and antagonizing the fight world. But his latest claim may be his boldest yet. During a recent interview with ESPN, Paul revealed that he’s held “preliminary conversations” with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira about a potential boxing match.

As shared by Happy Punch on X, Paul stated in a conversation with ESPN, “His team is down. I think the only thing preventing it is the UFC. It would be a massive fight at some point, and I know he’s down to make it happen. If Dana White ever actually felt comfortable that one of his martial artists could beat Jake Paul, he would 100% endorse it.”

It was classic Paul antics, calculated and perfectly timed to stir the pot. But while ’The Problem Child’ might envision Pereira swapping the Octagon for the ring, fans aren’t buying it. After all, ‘Poatan’ is on a completely different stratosphere than the opponents that the social media star turned boxer has faced so far. The Brazilian is a two-division champion, a cold-blooded striker who’s finished 11 of his 16 wins by knockout. He’s also one of UFC boss Dana White’s most prized stars, having headlined blockbuster cards and risen to superstardom in just a few years.

Paul, on the other hand, is still fighting for legitimacy. His resume includes wins over former MMA champions like Tyron Woodley, stars like Nate Diaz, and Mike Perry, but those victories came with caveats. Critics say he targets fighters who are smaller, older, or past their prime. That’s why a fight with Pereira, arguably the most dangerous active striker in MMA, sounds less like matchmaking and more like marketing.

Before talk of Alex Pereira took over, Jake Paul had been gearing up for a high-profile exhibition against Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, a fight that was supposed to go down in Miami on November 14. It was meant to be another headline grabber, pairing the 6-foot-1 cruiserweight against the 5-foot-5 knockout artist from Baltimore. But the bout collapsed at the eleventh hour after Davis was hit with a civil lawsuit

And the other sticking point for his call-out of ‘Poatan’? Dana White. The Brazilian only signed a new eight-fight contract last year. Realistically, there’s about as much chance of this fight happening under White’s watch as there is of Paul stepping into the Octagon. Still, Jake Paul knows what he’s doing. Every callout, every soundbite, it’s all part of his game. He’s the master of “what if?” fights that live in headlines, even if they never materialize. But while he might see it as a smart promotion, fans see it differently!

Fans aren’t convinced as Jake Paul claims Alex Pereira’s team is “down” for a fight

As soon as the news hit social media, the comment sections lit up like a bonfire as one fan wrote, “Alex will send Jake Paul to Valhalla.” That sentiment echoed across countless replies. Alex Pereira’s highlight reel of violent finishes is enough to make even seasoned boxers nervous. As such, fans pointed out that if the UFC ever did allow this fight, it wouldn’t be a contest, it would be a demolition.

Another fan added, “Alex would finish him so fast lol, and Alex would more than likely KO him in the fight too.” They have a point. Pereira’s knockout power is legendary, and his left hook is practically a brand at this point as he boasts a staggering 80% KO/TKO rate in the Octagon. Jake Paul has yet to face anyone with that level of danger! What do you think?

One fan chimed in with realism as they pointed out, “There is just about a 0% chance Dana lets any of his active fighters fight Jake especially not Alex who is one of, if not, his biggest star. If Alex boxes it will 100% be for the UFCs new boxing org they are set to launch next year. So unless Jake joins the UFC it’s not happening.” This is where most fans agree. The UFC boss has already launched ‘Zuffa Boxing’, which means if Pereira ever boxes, it’ll likely be under the UFC’s banner, not Jake Paul’s. Dana White’s track record shows he doesn’t play second fiddle in negotiations, especially when his champions are involved.

Another fan took a more analytical approach with, “I don’t think it’s about Dana being confident his fighter would win, it’s such low reward to fight Jake and that’s the thought process. If he beats u everyone stamps u as washed and if u beat him he uses ur name every chance he gets and gets his fans to think he’s getting ducked.”  That’s the paradox of a Jake Paul fight. It’s high-risk, low-reward for elite fighters. They gain little from beating him but risk their reputations if things go south. Paul may be chasing clout, but his opponents stand to lose far more.

And finally one fan summarized it bluntly by stating, “Jake is only chasing this fight against Alex because he knows it never happen as long as Alex is under contract with the UFC.” For many, it’s not about confidence, it’s about control. By calling out Pereira, Paul can claim fearlessness without ever needing to follow through.

So, Jake Paul’s confidence may sell headlines, but it rarely sells reality. Calling out Alex Pereira might sound like a power move, but fans see through the showmanship. It’s a move that keeps him relevant, even when fights fall apart, like his scrapped clash with Gervonta Davis. But as fans made clear, talk is cheap when the odds of the bout are near zero. The only question now is: how long can he keep fans watching before the act wears thin?