In the world of combat sports, Jake Paul has become a polarizing figure. While some view him as a legitimate contender, others see him as a novelty act. One person who believes Paul deserves respect is Matt Brown, a former UFC fighter. Brown recently spoke with EssentiallySports, sharing his thoughts on Paul's fighting career and his upcoming bout against Mike Tyson.

Brown's admiration for Paul stems from his ability to bring attention to combat sports. "I like the eyeballs being on combat sports, period," he said. "But I also appreciate and respect the purity of the sport too, so that's a tough one. I like the entertainment, you know, like Jake Paul." Brown believes that Paul's entertaining style makes him a valuable asset to the sport, even if his skills are not on the same level as other fighters.

However, Brown does have some reservations about Paul's decision to fight Tyson. "I think that's probably the biggest thing here. It's a lose-lose for him," he said. "Obviously, he's going to get a bag. We're all going to watch it. I'm sure Netflix is paying him well. We're all going to watch it, we're going to talk about it. He's getting that. But it's a lose-lose in actual fighting. You can't lose to a 60-year-old man and you also can't beat a 60-year-old man. It's a lose-lose. It's garbage to me."

Despite his reservations, Brown believes that Paul is a legitimate contender who deserves respect. "He's entertaining, you know. I watch his fights. It's not that I want to. I think the only thing I don't like about it is that the average person thinks they're watching some high level, right? That's why I like Muay Thai. I love the purity, you know, but I'm not watching it specifically for entertainment. I can go watch WWE for entertainment. I can watch Jake Paul for entertainment."

Jake Paul's Unlikely Ally: Why Matt Brown Thinks He Deserves Respect

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