'An all-time backfire': UFC's Daniel Cormier says Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is a 'lose-lose' that might go horribly wrong

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier says there is no outcome from Jake Paul's fight against Mike Tyson where Paul will be seen as the winner.

The former two-division UFC champion spoke to fellow UFC alumnus Ben Askren on the "Funky and the Champ" podcast about the upcoming Paul vs. Tyson fight, where the two athletes — who are nearly 30 years apart in age — will box on a Netflix sports special.

Cormier commented on remarks made by fellow UFC commentator Joe Rogan, who said that Tyson could still knock Paul's "head into another dimension" even at his age.

'I think it’s a lose-lose for Jake Paul, because if you beat up Mike Tyson, everybody loves Mike Tyson.'

"58-year-old Mike Tyson is not 50-year-old Mike Jones that lives down the street. It's a different kind of human being, he can still knock your head into another dimension if he can catch you," Rogan said.

Cormier agreed that when he watches Tyson hitting pads, "It looks like there's still something left in there."

"But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I watch Jake Paul get pressed to where he starts to feel uncomfortable, and it looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But then Jake has a reserve tank to go to and get and draw from because he's 28 years old."

Cormier mentioned he was concerned that at 58 years old, Tyson might not have enough reserved energy to draw from to compete with Paul if the fight goes longer than a couple rounds.

"That is my concern. Because what if this looks like a 58-year-old man, fighting a 28-year-old man, where Mike can’t draw [reserve energy]?" Cormier asked.

The former fighter went on to say that no matter what happens, Paul will be seen as a loser after the fight due to Tyson's age and the reverence audiences have for him.

"I think it’s a lose-lose for Jake Paul, because if you beat up Mike Tyson, everybody loves Mike Tyson ... Mike Tyson actually doesn't need the money," Cormier continued. "It's surprising to me that he's fighting ... what if Mike knocks him out though? Then it's over. Everything's done. It would be an all-time backfire. Nothing's ever been done like that in the history of the sport if he gets knocked out."

The November 15, 2024, bout was already pushed back from a July date over health complications on the part of Tyson that caused a flight delay.

"He became nauseous and dizzy due to an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes before landing," one of Tyson's representatives said at the time. "He is appreciative to the medical staff that were there to help him."

Tyson has answered questions about his age numerous times leading up to the fight, stating that it isn't a hinderance on top of the fact that he is the only athlete of his age that could create such anticipation.

"I'm 58 and what? I'm getting billions of views from just talking to somebody about fighting," Tyson said on Fox News. "Everybody, even most of the athletes, they're jealous, that's wack. ... I say 'in your prime you couldn't draw a million people, man. What are you talking about, you couldn't sell out [an] arena.' Who at 58 could sell out an 80,000-seat arena?"

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