Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva Full Post Fight Press Conference Transcript

How’s everybody doing? Can we hear it for Jake Paul? On behalf of Jake and I, we want to thank Showtime, first and foremost, for working with us for his last three events. We want to thank Jila River Arena, Desert Diamond Arena, and most of all, we want to thank Anderson Silva for accepting this fight and putting on the tremendous performance that he did. As far as all the media here, we really appreciate you. This business doesn’t exist without you, so thank you for being here. Thank you for continuing to support Jake. Go ahead.

Jake, over here. You’ve obviously long admired Anderson Silva, and you said yourself, you were going to win this fight all week. But now that it is a reality, what are the emotions now that you’ve defeated one of your childhood heroes?

It’s surreal. I don’t think it’ll hit me until a couple weeks from now. I feel like I’m living in a movie. He was the one that told me I could accomplish anything if I set my mind to it. You couldn’t have written this in a story. It feels like a movie. And just being in the ring with him, seeing his heart, his courage, his bravery, that’s the champion that I look up to, looked up to. And he’s such an inspiration. And I had to go in there and match his heart tonight, a heart that I saw through the TV screen when I was a kid. So it’s just surreal and doesn’t make any sense, to be honest.

And that punch that dropped him, you said when you knocked out Tyron Woodley, you saw him, you were trying to catch that punch and then you came over to the top and dropped him. So when you did drop Anderson, was that an opening you knew you could take advantage of in there?

We were throwing shots all night and that one just caught him off guard when he was coming up. So really, we were just throwing. And he was taking harder shots than that. That wasn’t even the hardest punch of the night. It was obviously just the timing. I was just surprised by his toughness because I was dropping sparring partners all camp with those shots to the body and shots to the head. He’s built different. The guy’s fought through broken bones and all sorts of stuff. So to beat someone like that you got to dig deep, and that’s what I did tonight.

Jake over here.

Hey Jake, Penny Buffington from MMA Fight Coverage. I’m trying to come up with the words to express how impressed I am with you. Absolutely amazing what you have done coming from the YouTube days and now we’re on Showtime sports. The whole entire event is because of you, Jake Paul, and I’m beyond impressed with that. I’m kind of picturing what it’s like for you to choose your next opponent. It’s like the Jake Paul lottery. Who’s going to win next? Who gets to fight you? Are you bombarded with requests to fight? And how do you handle that? How do you go through that list?

Yeah look, I think this fight did two things. It’ll make a much higher level people want to fight me and it’ll make the ones who are already scared like we saw earlier this year, they’re not going to want to fight me. So we’ll see. I’m sure there’s a lot of names. I haven’t even gone on Twitter yet to look at everything and all the call outs, but I’m sure there’s going to be a lot. And it’s back to the drawing board and we we’ll see who it is. But Nate Diaz was here acting like a bitch. Everyone wants that fight. He tried to fight people in the hallway. Nate, stop fighting people for free. Let’s do it in the ring. Okay? I know you’re a little slow, buddy, but it’s okay. We can make that fight happen. And you, too, Canello, you’re getting old. You looked weird against Triple G. I still want that fight as well. And I think now like I said it 18 months ago, “Oh well, Canello.” And then I was sitting in a room just like this and everyone was like, “Oh, fucking idiot.” And then now 18 months later, here we are. And when I say that, maybe people are taking it a little bit more seriously now, and I still mean it and I still want that fight.

Are you the one that strictly makes those decisions? Are you the one that’s actually powering through those requests and choosing? Do you actually have someone in your mind that you kind of want and you go for? Or do you go through those requests?

All of the above and it’s just who makes sense at the right time and who actually wants to do it and who will actually show up and be a professional and make weight. But it is who I want. Even people on my team, my coaches and stuff were like, “Well, are you sure you want Anderson? Are you sure?” And I was like, “Yes, I can do this.”

Okay, well I know that Joe Riggs has been calling you out. Is he someone that you’ve considered?

I don’t know who the fuck that is.

I was afraid you were going to say that, which I find kind of funny because anyone who knows Anderson Silva definitely knows who Joe Riggs is. And he’s local. So I just think that would be a perfect match up for you and I hope it’s something that you’ll consider.

Thank you.

Jacob, right over here. Jake right over here. Congrats on the win tonight, man. You mentioned Nate Diaz and we’ve seen video already of this incident. It seemed like he slapped a member of your team. It’s hard to tell. Can you elaborate on what happened?

I haven’t seen the video and I didn’t really know what happened. I just know there was an altercation with my team.

Jake wasn’t even aware of the altercation before the fight.

I was focused on what was going on, but I was made aware of it afterwards and it’s typical of him. That’s what he likes to do. He’s a street gangster. He likes to act tough and he’s really not. Like, why are you trying to beat someone up in a hallway, bro?

I mean, speaking of the MMA community, you and the MMA community have a very interesting relationship over these last few years. You just beat a genuine legend of the sport, probably one of the greatest fighters of all time. How do you feel? Is this the wind you think that will get you the respect of that community?

I think it has to. I want to watch the fight back, but people were just saying it was a really good fight, a brawl, a war, awesome back and forth. And so I think people will respect my game. I showed different parts of my arsenal, defense, all of that, fighting on the inside with a legend who, who’s really good at fighting on the inside. I think this fight definitely has to gain me some respect. And I’m only two and a half years in, so this is just the start. I’m just getting warmed up with what I can accomplish. And this is the first fight in my career where I felt comfortable in the ring. And just think about it, no one five fights in is fighting eight round fights, no one. They build them up four rounds, six rounds. I mean, Tommy Fury is still fighting six round fights and he grew up his whole entire life doing this sport and his brother’s the heavyweight champion of the world. My brother and I are fucking from YouTube, so I’m doing something that no one’s ever done before and I’m just learning my bearings in the ring, but we’ll see what happens after this.

But I want to add, he loves the MMA community. He loves MMA fighters. He loves trying to be a spokesperson for the sport and bringing it along with himself. Of course he’s honest. He wears his thoughts on his sleeve and he’ll attack someone if he sees something that he doesn’t agree with. But make no mistake, Jake Paul is a huge fan of MMA.

I was a fan of MMA before boxing and guys like Anderson Silva. Oh wow.

[inaudible 00:08:48] . Good job.

Thank you, man.

Jake, Keith Eidich from boxingscene.com. Congratulations.

Thank you.

As the rounds were unfolding, particularly in the second half of the fight, how close of a fight did you feel it was and what did you think the scorecards would read, particularly after you got the knockdown in the eighth round?

I thought it was six rounds to two, which is what I think pretty much the judges had it scored as. My coaches were telling me in the corner like, “Hey, you got that round. You didn’t get that round.” So yeah, I mean it was tough, tough all the way throughout, a couple close rounds. I knew I just had to keep on working and working and working. But after I got the knockdown, yeah, I knew that I had it in the bag.

Hey Jake, Ben Davis from MMA Island. Congrats on the win. Desi expressed how impressed he was with your skills. No interest in KSI at this time?

Man, I mean, bro, he won’t fight me, especially after this fight. Guy needs to keep on playing FIFA and making shitty rap music. I don’t really know what the guy does. He’s fighting bums, trash cans. I’m trying to become a world champion and he’s just like, I don’t know what fuck that kid’s doing.

Jake, over here. Do you feel like this fight, I asked you this before, but with Anderson’s age and him being in the third fight since he retired, I know you mentioned it in the ring, but do you feel like this is moving you closer to that boxing legitimacy? And you say you feel like a world champion. Do you think this fight moves you closer to getting to that point confidently?

For sure, for sure. When you get eight hard rounds with a legend like Anderson Silva, it’s just really good experience under the belt. And he just beat a former world champion, Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. He beat him eight rounds to zero, so he schooled the former world champion. So this definitely moves me in that direction. And this guy is insanely tough, insanely tough. So it’s just great experience under my belt. And like I said, it’s only been two and a half years, so who knows what I can accomplish. I know, but I’ll show you guys.

Two more for Jake and then we’ll let Anderson have the floor.

Jake right here. Andreas from Sporting News. The MMA community may love you, but do you have a message for Dana White because he was very critical of you taking this particular fight with Anderson Silva?

Dana, Dana, Dana. Bro, you said I wouldn’t do this and I did it and with flying colors. But he’s in hiding. He’s trying to do everything he can to stop my run, to sabotage my fights. He hates me. He hates me. He hates what I’m doing. He hates I’m exposing his business. And now we’re going to band together and create a United Fighters Association to help UFC fighters, all MMA fighters and boxers to get more fighter pay, long term healthcare. And that’s a big, big undertaking that I’ve been wanting to do for the whole entire time of my career since I met Nikisa. I said it to him on the first day, I want to make a fighter’s union. So, man, Dana White can suck this dick.

Jake, Michelle Joy Phelps with Behind the Gloves right back here, sorry. When you first started, obviously you started fighting other YouTubers. They still seem to be looming as in wanting to still call you out. There have been various names that have been mentioned even from yourself. But as you’re trying to edge towards, like you said, being a world champion, is that sort of becoming further and further away from you in making those type of fights as opposed to continuing to fight other combat fighters?

Yeah no, for sure. I don’t think any of the influencers will fight me or want to fight me. I’ve said that since a year ago, but especially now. And if someone makes sense like a bigger name in the space, then maybe we can do something. But I want to fight big names, I want to fight boxers. I want to fight anyone who’s going to give me a challenge where fans will be like, “I don’t know who’s going to win this fight.” Those are the fights I like to make. And that was exactly what we did here. I think the fight could have gone either way. There was ways where he could win and there’s ways where I could win.

Hey, Jake. Right over here. I just have to ask, because your brother was here, Logan. What did he tell you and what are you going to tell him for his Roman Reign WWE fight? Did you inspire each other from tonight?

Yeah, man, he gave me a speech in the locker room. I love that man so much. And he just put it all in perspective as to what we are accomplishing together. And it’s so amazing to have a partner in crime. The kid’s a genius. He’s such a kind person. I look up to him. He makes me a better person. He inspires me every day. And I can’t believe next weekend he’s going to take on another massive, massive name in combat sports and the WWE championship. It’s surreal what we’re building. I think we might be the new Kardashians. Hey, who’s going to … nevermind, nevermind.

Jake, real quick. Got your hat. You got your cheeks. What do you have for Anderson Silva?

I got respect for him.

Thank you, brother.

How about the speed of the fight?

It was turned. It was turned.

You have questions for Anderson, guys? Go ahead.

Yes, I’m sorry. I’m from Brazil. I’m going to ask Anderson, Portuguese Anderson back here.

[foreign language 00:16:09].

[foreign language 00:16:09]

[foreign language 00:16:09]

[foreign language 00:16:09]

I think guys, I go speaking Portuguese first, all right? It’s okay. Okay. [foreign language 00:16:27] So I just try to speak English now. So Jake is better for me today because I try to put in my game inside and my whole strategy. And as I talked to my coach in the room, I don’t found my distance and I fail in my strategy. And Jake better than me today. That’s it.

[foreign language 00:17:43].

[foreign language 00:17:43] I can’t stop. I can’t stop. Ask me about you stop or not, I can’t stop.

[foreign language 00:17:52].

[foreign language 00:17:54] Yes, for sure.

Anderson actually, I mean when you look at the punch stats, you landed more power punches on him. It seemed as if from watching the fight, for some of us anyway, that you were out boxing him. Did you feel like the scorecards were favoring you as you went into that final round? Honestly.

I failed in the strategy. In the last round, Jake take the good punch and my base is not correct. That’s my coach saying my base is not correct and that’s I take the punch. But I don’t feel knock out. I don’t feel power. But I’m not in good balance and that’s I take the punch. Of course I have a more experience and I’m doing this a lot and this has happened with me again one more time. The last time that happened to me when I fight with, I forgot the name, the guy in UFC.

Ryan Hall?

No.

Tito.

Yeah, Ryan Hall, yeah. Yeah, Ryan. I fell two times in that situation and that time I just talked to my coach. “I don’t believe it because I training hard for don’t do the same stupid position.” But I’m human. I’m superhero, but sometimes my half human fail.

And Jake talked you into joining him in this bet of trying to create a UFC union, so to speak.

That’s the truth.

How committed to that are you?

It’s not UFC unit, it’s a unit for help and doing something better for MMA fighters. And I think Jake and I can do something huge for help this new generation.

Anderson?

[foreign language 00:19:53].

[foreign language 00:19:53].

[foreign language 00:19:57].

[foreign language 00:20:03].

[foreign language 00:20:14].

[foreign language 00:21:29].

[foreign language 00:21:29]

We have time for only two more, unfortunately.

Hey Anderson, Ben Davis from MMA Island. Even with that knockdown in round number eight, were you confident you had done enough when it went to the scorecards?

Wow, I just tried to follow the orders of my coach. And I talked to my coach in the room. I say, “I don’t believe I take knockout in the last round. That’s stupid. And I fail on the strategy.” And that’s I feel and that’s I talk to my coach. I fail my mission and I back to home training better and try to make the strategy correct in the next time. That’s …

Marcus Hays right here, Anderson. Over here, back here.

Where are you?

Hello. How are you?

Okay, all right.

You’ve spoke in Portuguese. I couldn’t understand exactly everything, but when asked about a potential rematch with Jake Paul, it was a very, very competitive fight. Some people thought you were winning before the eighth round. Is a rematch something that interests you? Is that something that you’d be open for?

The rematch? That’s how I respond to the guy and the Brazilian guy now. I think it’s very important that people respect the moment, the Jake’s moment now. I’m black samurai. I know I lost. I know I fail in my whole strategy, and my opponent to win and I need to respect that. I’m not the same the other guys fight with Jake. Oh, I need revenge. I need rematch. I don’t know. Let’s go see what happened. And maybe, I don’t know.

And you mentioned inside of the ring that you’re absolutely going to continue. There’s no doubt about that. So what is next for you? I know we’re just fresh off the fight, but if you can look in the future, what do you think is next? What things do you want to get accomplished before you … ?

Well, my next challenge for myself is I go to the Jujitsu tournament in Dubai, in Abu Dhabi, and we’ll see. I just go back home and start. I go to visit my parents in Brazil and I go start training with my coach, Ricardo de Lajava. And I go to Dubai for continuing my training with Jamon Lamus and training to the new tournament in Dubai, Abu Dhabi.

Anderson, thank you very much.

Thank you, guys. Thank you, thank you. Have a good night, guys. Thank you.