Celebrity and pro boxer Jake Paul earned his fourth pro win on Sunday night, defeating former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley via split decision after eight rounds of action (77-75 Paul, 77-75 Woodley & 78-74 Paul).
The pay-per-view fight took place at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Paul’s win came from his ability to out-land Woodley for most of the fight. The former UFC fighter had little output early in the contest, giving away many rounds due to lack of activity.
Woodley’s best moment in the fight came in the fourth, where an overhand right of his sent Paul tumbling into the ropes. Clearly rocked by the shots, Paul remained on his feet and evaded punches for the rest of the round.
Woodley opened up significantly more in the final rounds, although it was clear that Paul had gained a comfortable lead by that point.
Woodley was making his first appearance out of the UFC since 2013. The 39-year-old has been winless in combat sports since losing his 170-pound UFC belt to Kamaru Usman in 2019.
Woodley lost four consecutive MMA bouts over the past three years, including a recent first-round submission against Vicente Luque.
The win on Sunday is now Paul’s second over an MMA fighter. His previous appearance saw him stop former ONE Championship and Bellator Champion Ben Askren in just over a minute.
Previous wins on Paul’s career came against former NBA player Nate Robinson and internet celebrity Ali Eson Gib.
The win for Paul over the weekend was also his first time boxing past the second round as a pro.
Woodley wasn’t the only MMA fighter on the card. Five-fight Bellator vet Anthony Taylor went four rounds in the opening bout of the main card, losing a decision to “Love Island” contestant and pro boxer Tommy Fury.
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