Jake Paul has been carving out his identity beyond the “YouTuber” label, pushing hard to be recognized as a legitimate boxer and the driving force behind Most Valuable Promotions (MVP). But his growing influence in combat sports has stirred up friction with TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of both UFC and WWE.
Speaking on Smash Cast, Jake revealed that his ties with MVP have created a wall between him and WWE, preventing him from supporting his brother Logan inside the ring.
“The fact that one of the biggest organizations in the world, the TKO group, has this major beef with me—they won’t even let me go be in my brother’s WWE matches because they hate me so much,” Jake said. “It’s pretty wild how much under their skin we are. I enjoy the s*** talk. I like when people make fun of me. I’m easy to make fun of, and I can laugh at myself.”
Jake insists the tension is more entertainment than hostility, but admits there’s truth behind the banter. His playful attitude hasn’t stopped TKO from keeping him away from WWE programming.
This isn’t the first time Jake has brushed up against WWE. He appeared at the 2022 Crown Jewel event, but that was before UFC and WWE merged under TKO. Since then, the relationship has cooled, with WWE declining to comment when asked if Jake is officially barred from involvement.
Meanwhile, Jake’s focus is on MVP’s next big move: its first-ever MMA event, streaming live on Netflix, headlined by Gina Carano vs. Ronda Rousey. On the WWE side, Logan Paul is thriving, currently holding the World Tag Team Championship alongside Austin Theory.