Jake Paul's MMA Debut, Return to Boxing Timeline Revealed by MVP Co-Founder After Injury Recovery

After sustaining a broken jaw in his knockout loss against Anthony Joshua in December, Jake Paul's next move remains unclear.

However, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian shed some light on Paul's potential return to the ring while speaking with TMZ's Mike Babcock. Bidarian was asked if Paul would compete on MVP's next MMA card, and he revealed that the 29-year-old is more likely to secure a boxing match by the end of 2026 before pursuing MMA down the line.

"No. No, I think we'll do MMA way before that. I believe Jake Paul will come back into boxing before the end of the year if everything continues to progress the way that it has," Bidarian said. "And I believe at some point in 2027 or 2028, Jake Paul will try his hand within the cage, within the hexagon."

Paul raised some eyebrows last week when he revealed that his jaw injury could force him to retire, but he announced during Saturday's Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight card on Netflix that he's been cleared by his doctor to resume sparring in two to three months. He said he plans to return to boxing, but he also has aspirations for an MMA fight.

"I'm going to do MMA," he said. "I'm going to do an MMA fight for sure."

Paul is undoubtedly one of the biggest needle-movers in combat sports right now, so he and Bidarian will continue to be strategic about their plans for his fighting career as he recovers from his broken jaw.