Jake Paul wasn’t facing Nate Robinson this time, but a decorated MMA fighter, and the result was the same.
Paul, a YouTube sensation, knocked out Ben Askren in the first round of their Saturday night pay-per-view cruiserweight bout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with a straight right hand to the head.
The Triller Fight Club event aired on FITE.tv for $ 49.99 and the main event lasted less than two minutes.
The interruption was questionable. Askren, 36, wanted to continue, but referee Brian Stutts said he was unable to fight and it was stopped at 1:59 pm.
Askren – who has a 19-2-0 record in UFC – didn’t seem crushed after the loss. He walked backstage after the fight smiling, and apparently was cheerful after earning $ 500,000 in disclosed pay for the fight, according to CBS Sports.
24-year-old Paul – a social media influencer who insists he’s a real boxer – hasn’t fought a professional yet, but this was his first win over a professional fighter. He is now 3-0 with three knockouts with previous wins over Robinson and AnEsonGib, a fellow YouTuber.
“This is the craziest moment of my life,” said Paul, who did push-ups in the ring after the win. “I told you all I would do it in the first round. I told you I’m a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to prove to myself that this is real.
“It was four months ago, I went to a training camp every day. I deserve this s – t. I don’t know how often I have to prove to myself that this is real.
Paul, a showman who took a blast from Kevin Owens in a WrestleMania 37 match last week, doesn’t have these top fighters in their shoes, judging by their comments on Twitter.
Nate Robinson, who was panned for taking on his fight with Paul, now actually has the right to stay in the ring the longest against the YouTube star. The former Knick and NBA slam-dunk champion was eliminated in the second round of their fight on November 28.