The pair have been tipped to fight each other this year, but one UFC legend remains unconvinced that a showdown between the two stars will take place
UFC icon Chael Sonnen has doubled down on the negative noise regarding a potential clash between Logan Paul and Conor McGregor, labelling the fight as a ‘scam.’
Over the last few weeks, McGregor has continued to express his interest in the clash across his social platforms. However, many within the combat sports community remain sceptical about the validity of a potential boxing showdown between the two blockbuster stars.
Back in December, reports suggested that the Irishman in talks to fight Jake Paul’s older brother. In a post uploaded to X – formerly known as Twitter – McGregor denied reports of a showdown with UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and announced his desire to take on Paul, posting: “The rumours of a bout with Topuria are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.”
The potential clash would net both men a huge $250million, but Sonnen has doubled down on his recent comments regarding the bout, claiming that “not a single word was true.” Speaking on his official YouTube channel, he said: “What a scam – the whole thing is flawed… First off, it’s not Saudi Arabia, it’s India; for some Indian billionaire who wants to bring tourism to the country [when] India is the most populated country in the world, like it is just fake.
“But let me tell you one thing that a rich guy hates, if you are a really rich guy, it actually pains them and keeps them up at night to not have their fame – a guy that rich wants his credit for it. And the reason I tell you that is the way Conor tells this story, there’s some rich billionaire who’s going to cut a check for $250 million – first off, nobody is cutting a check for $250 million when the going rate of the market is $8 million.”
He added: “One of the great lies in sport that got told and repeated, was the alleged payouts of Floyd Mayweather – none of which were true… And that includes the fight with Conor McGregor where they both got $125 million, that’s not true – but one simple follow-up question would kill that dead in its tracks, is ‘Who wrote the check?’
“When guys write checks that big, they find a way to make sure that the media knows they wrote it, they have somebody film it, it’s an entire thing, and one of the dumbest lies that has not yet needed to be told. But Conor is now workshopping $250 million to box a non-boxer, at a weight class that doesn’t exist, in a promotion that they’re yet to identify for a guy who apparently doesn’t have a name. The whole thing is ridiculous.”
Despite Sonnen’s comments, it would appear Paul is seemingly now focused on his WWE career. During a recent pre-taped promo, the American said: “But you know what really must keep you up at night? I’ve been so good at this. And now, I’m dedicating my life to this. No more side hustle. No more bulls***. 100 per cent WWE superstar. This is the beginning of the era of Logan Paul!”
