Suck it up, world, Jake Paul is now a boxer with a 3-0 record. Paul faced off against ex-MMA fighter Ben Askren on Saturday night in Atlanta, and knocked him out in the first round. Paul knocked Askren down, and though Askren wanted to continue, referee Brian Stutts waved off the fight.
Jake Paul knocks out Ben Askren in the first round. pic.twitter.com/YzAF7Q7FNV
— ESPN (@espn) April 18, 2021
After the fight, Askren tweeted, "Sorry world."
Sorry world :(
— Funky (@Benaskren) April 18, 2021
Not everyone on social media was thrilled about Paul's victory.
"This the saddest thing I've ever seen fam," wrote one Twitter user. "Ben Askren got KO'd in less than a round, let the whole world down. We're never getting rid of Jake Paul are we?"
This the saddest thing I've ever seen fam 😂😂😂😂😂
— Jay 🎋💰🇯🇲🏴 (@TeeJThaRealest) April 18, 2021
Ben Askren got KO'd in less than a round, let the whole world down 😂🤦🏾♂️
We're never getting rid of Jake Paul are we? 😣#TrillerFightClub #JakePaul #Triller pic.twitter.com/6R3gZd1nZO
Many of the complaints centered on Paul's boxing record. In addition to Askren, he's previously defeated fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA player Nate Robinson. Neither is exactly Muhammad Ali.
"Put him up against someone his own size and is a boxer and he's done for," said one Twitter user.
Another posted a conga line of clowns with the caption, "D-list celebrities on their way to getting KO'd by Jake Paul."
put him up against someone his own size and is a boxer and he’s done for
— Tom (@MerlinPercules) April 18, 2021
D-list celebrities on their way to getting KO'd by Jake Paul pic.twitter.com/w4Fmoig7nm
— Mr. Woo Woo (@alpasasi) April 18, 2021
Jake after he KO’d a middle aged Dad pic.twitter.com/UeHYgrq0Ys
— Chris ☬ (@ayochrris) April 18, 2021
Jake paul after he beats a bus driver with 3 kids in his next fight pic.twitter.com/c7sHFtZcoZ
— Hassan 🪐 (@KingHassan__) April 18, 2021
Jake Paul’s Mickey Mouse path to fighting Ben askren
— Juice⚡️ (@LevBellsGoat) April 18, 2021
Fought a guy who barely trained
Fought a crab
Fought a 36 year old retired athlete who has no defense
Jake Paul is actually 0-3 in my eyes 💪🏾👍🏾
Some tried to defend Paul's abilities. Sports journalist Stephen A. Smith warned that Paul needs more fitting opponents, writing, "See, this has to stop. @jakepaul is not some scrub. He's a pro now. Askren, even though he's a @ufc fighter, is a grappler. Not a boxer. So why was he even in the damn ring? From now on, Paul needs to fight an actual boxer. He's gonna hurt any non-boxer."
See, this has to stop. @jakepaul is not some scrub. He’s a pro now. Askren, even though he’s a @ufc fighter, is a grappler. Not a boxer. So why was he even in the damn ring? From now on, Paul needs to fight an actual boxer. He’s gonna hurt any non-boxer.
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 18, 2021
Wrote one Twitter user, "Wtf do people downplay the people Jake Paul fight? Stop acting like Ben wasn't an equipped opponent he's an Olympian, great MMA fighter -- pretty much an elite athlete. Even Nate was an equipped opponent, just accept their defeat wasn't b/c 'They were washed up or out of shape.'"
Wtf do people downplay the people Jake Paul fight. Stop acting like Ben wasn’t an equipped opponent he’s an Olympian, great MMA fighter - pretty much an elite athlete. Even Nate was an equipped opponent, just accept their defeat wasn’t b/c “They were washed up or out of shape.”
— dunno (@GreySometimes) April 18, 2021
The length of the fight was the topic of numerous snarky jokes and tweets, too. Fans who paid $50 to watch it had to wait more than two hours, through a lengthy undercard and numerous musical interludes, for Paul and Askren to get into the ring.
People waited 3 hours just to see the jake Paul fight end like this pic.twitter.com/csztMwzghu
— Mr.Spook (@MrSpookyoutube) April 18, 2021
How the Jake Paul vs Ben Askren fight went:#JakePaulvsBenAskren #trillerfightnight pic.twitter.com/nrYGq1PaVe
— DASHIE BURNER (@DashieBurner) April 18, 2021
Betty White would have lasted longer pic.twitter.com/EngDgzw4WA
— Mike “Stylin Ukrainian” Rush (@MichaelPRush1) April 18, 2021
watched 43 concerts for this dude to get KO’d in 20 seconds pic.twitter.com/xLOpotmaI4
— kaku 🥒 (@inmygraytee) April 18, 2021
Another hot Twitter topic involved musician Snoop Dogg and UFC president Dana White. After White reportedly bet a million dollars that Paul would lose, Snoop Dogg urged White to double that bet. When Paul won, Snoop Dogg, who was at the fight, screamed out, "Where's my money at? Dana, where my money at?"
And @SnoopDogg with a little reminder for Dana White about their pre-fight wager 😂
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) April 18, 2021
Pay the man!
(🎥 @FiteTV)pic.twitter.com/FnhMaiu5Y3
Of course, that unleashed a bunch of related memes. Writer Shaheen Al-Shatti tweeted, "Snoop Dogg screaming 'Dana White, where my money at?! Dana White, where my money at?!?' is pretty much the only way we could've ended this broadcast."
Snoop Dogg screaming "Dana White, where my money at?! Dana White, where my money at?!?" is pretty much the only way we could've ended this broadcast.
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) April 18, 2021
Snoop Dogg on his way to collect his 2 million from Dana White like:#TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/VVDcgYSSoM
— Naman Gupta (@andthenhetweets) April 18, 2021
Dana White after seeing Jake Paul knock out a UFC guy pic.twitter.com/QTnQJ2OhVc
— Stark Industries (@akhquainted) April 18, 2021
Dana White watching Ben Askren get lit up by Jake Paul. pic.twitter.com/WCnuSaZfcu
— At The Buzzer (@AtTheBuzzer1) April 18, 2021
As for Paul, he's savoring his victory, tweeting, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" and following up a report that Askren won't fight again with "WHO SHOULD I RETIRE NEXT?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) April 18, 2021
WHO SHOULD I RETIRE NEXT? https://t.co/ZI08p0Xnjd
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) April 18, 2021
Step right up, future opponents -- Paul doesn't look to be hanging up the gloves any time soon.