Jake Paul’s Backstage Goading of Francis Ngannou Flops Harder Than His Anthony Joshua Fight

Jake Paul’s attempt to orchestrate another viral pre-fight confrontation entirely backfired backstage at the Intuit Dome on Friday night. Confronting former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou ahead of the historic MVP MMA 1 card, "El Gallo" attempted to troll "The Predator" over his devastating 2024 knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.  

Instead of asserting dominance, Paul’s desperate search for a click-worthy soundbite was universally slammed by combat fans online as a delusional reframe of his own horrific history with the British heavyweight champion.  

The Bizarre Anthony Joshua Argument Explained

In a video posted directly to his Instagram page hours before Ngannou knocked out Philipe Lins in the first round on Netflix, Jake Paul explicitly targeted Ngannou’s chin. "What did you dream of when Anthony slept you?" Paul asked right to Ngannou's face.

Ngannou, completely unfazed by the influencer’s physical presence, immediately fired back, stating he dreamed "of fighting, not of sprinting."  

The confrontation quickly devolved into a bizarre debate over who sustained a more dignified beatdown from Anthony Joshua. While Joshua brutally stopped Ngannou in the second round of their March 2024 boxing match, the former unified heavyweight champion also broke Jake Paul’s jaw in a violent sixth-round TKO layout. Despite ending up on the exact same canvas with a heavily fractured face, Paul actually tried to use his survival time as elite leverage.  

"I know you're not a boxer, but the first rule of boxing is hit and don't get hit," Paul snapped, calling Ngannou "a big clunky guy stuck in sand."  

Full Backstage Transcript Breakdown: The Awkward Exchange

The interaction between the Most Valuable Promotions head and the heavyweight titan carried severe tension, considering Ngannou recently admitted to The Schmo that he originally wanted to "give Paul a slap" when they crossed paths during the early promotional launch in Los Angeles.  

Here is exactly how the exchange played out backstage in Inglewood, California:

The Backstage Back-and-Forth

• Jake Paul: "So you were having dreams on the canvas when Joshua slept you? That's crazy."

• Francis Ngannou: "Are you joking? Are you dreaming now? Did you even have a fight with him [Joshua], given how much you were running away?"

• Jake Paul: "Use your footwork. I’m not a big clunky guy like you stuck in sand."  

  
  

The Parting Shot That Sealed It

The verbal sparring ended with a tense handshake where Ngannou effortlessly reclaimed the upper hand. Looking directly at Paul's face, the Cameroonian power-puncher smoothly asked if Paul's jaw was finally doing okay.  

Paul, who literally just announced on the Netflix broadcast that doctors have finally cleared him to resume light sparring in two to three weeks, quickly thanked Ngannou for competing under the MVP banner before teasing a potential future matchup between them.  

Why Combat Fans Are Universally Slamming Jake Paul

The reaction across X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram has been completely toxic for the influencer-turned-promoter. Fans immediately recognized the sheer irony of a cruiserweight mocking a legitimate combat sports giant for losing to a mutual opponent who literally broke Paul’s jaw so severely it threatened his entire fighting career.  

"He talks a lot of trash for someone who got his jaw so broken he won't be able to ever fight the same way again," one top comment read on social media. Others pointed out that running away for six rounds against a top-tier heavyweight is hardly something to brag about to the former "Baddest Man on the Planet."  

Furthermore, Ngannou completely stolen Paul's thunder during the post-fight broadcast. After obliterating Philipe Lins in Round 1, Ngannou took the microphone from Ariel Helwani and mocked Paul’s authority over his own promotion, stating, "Jake Paul is not running MVP. He's just blah blah blah."

Quick Facts

• Event: MVP MMA 1: Rousey vs. Carano (Fight Night)

• Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, California  

  
  

• Featured Matchup: Francis Ngannou def. Philipe Lins (Round 1 KO)

• Jake Paul's Status: Recovering from a double jaw fracture (Cleared to train in 2–3 weeks)

• Streaming Availability: Main card streamed globally on Netflix. Prelims available on MVP YouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Anthony Joshua break Jake Paul’s jaw?

Yes. Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul via a brutal sixth-round TKO. The fight left Paul with a confirmed double jaw fracture that required extensive surgery and a multi-month layoff from all combat activities.  

When did Anthony Joshua fight Francis Ngannou?

Anthony Joshua fought Francis Ngannou in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in March 2024. Joshua won the boxing match via a violent second-round knockout, sending Ngannou to the canvas unconscious.  

What did Francis Ngannou say about Jake Paul at MVP MMA 1?

During his post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani after knocking out Philipe Lins, Ngannou openly minimized Paul's role in the company, telling the crowd that Paul doesn't actually run Most Valuable Promotions and is just "blah blah blah."

Is Jake Paul fighting Francis Ngannou next?

While Jake Paul claimed he has been cleared to return to boxing and wants an eventual MMA match against Ngannou, his immediate return will be a traditional boxing match. A fight against Ngannou is highly unlikely given the massive weight disparity.