UFC legend Daniel Cormier has ‘no interest’ in training Jake Paul and says YouTuber’s switch to MMA ‘seems like a ploy’

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UFC legend Daniel Cormier has 'no interest' in training Jake Paul and says YouTuber's switch to MMA 'seems like a ploy'

Daniel Cormier admits he has ‘no interest’ in training Jake Paul – and considers the YouTuber’s switch to MMA ‘feels like a move’.

Paul is 5-0 as a boxer, but recently revealed plans to move to the cage one day.

Daniel Cormier and head coach Javier Mendez

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Daniel Cormier and head coach Javier Mendez
Jake Paul Hints at MMA Switch

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Jake Paul Hints at MMA Switchcredit: AFP

He later claimed that Javier Mendez – who has coached the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Cormier – would be his choice of MMA trainer.

But the former two-weight UFC champion DC would not pass his knowledge on to Paul, who once called him to a fight.

Cormier, 42, told The Shamo: “No, I’m not interested in that. It seems like there are a lot of tricks, right? It’s always the trick.

“I don’t know how true that is, but it sounds like a trick to me, so I won’t play that game.”

Paul, 24, recently defeated ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley in their December rematch, four months after initially winning on points.

It added KO’s over YouTuber ‘AnEsonGib’, ex-NBA player Nate Robinson, 37, and retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, 37.

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Soon after, he called out the UFC duo, 37-year-old Jorge Masvidal and 36-year-old Nate Diaz, to continue their rivalry with the UFC and promoter Dana White.

Paul then claimed that he would fight Masvidal in the UFC as long as White accepted his terms.

The demands were as follows: “1) Increase the minimum combat pay per fight to $50k (it is now $12k).

“2) Guaranteed 50% of UFC annual revenue (1 billion in 2011) to UFC fighters.

“3) Provide long-term healthcare to all fighters (you said earlier that brain damage is part of the gig… imagine the NFL said so).

“There are many UFC alums who have publicly stated that they are suffering from brain damage.”

Mendez, the head coach of the American Kickboxing Academy, denied ever agreeing to coach Paul, but would be open to the idea if his gym was on the stable board.

No, I’m not interested in that. Seems like a lot of tricks, doesn’t it? It’s always the trick.

Daniel Cormier on Jake Paul Joining His MMA Gym

He said: “It can happen. But like anyone, we have to go through all the coaches and all the fighters out here and famous athletes like them.

“They will go through the routine that everyone else does, so it has to be voted on by everyone.

“First of all, he never asked. What he has done is that he has marketed himself beautifully.

“I liked the plug he gave us, I think it was a great plug and I think he’s a fantastic person.

“But the reality is no matter who you are, you have to go through the team to get consent to train with us.

“He hasn’t consented because he hasn’t asked. Not that he won’t [be approved], I just know he didn’t ask.

“If he is denied, he will not know who forbade him, because we do not say so.”

Jake Paul practicing kicks at the MMA gym

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Jake Paul practicing kicks at the MMA gymcredit: Instagram @jakepaul

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