On June 28, two major combat sports events captured widespread attention: the UFC 317 fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, and the Jake Paul versus Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. boxing match in California. While both events featured significant moments, Jake Paul’s star power seemingly commanded greater search interest and public buzz, according to recent Google Trends data analyzed by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), highlighting the intense public focus on the social media star-turned-boxer.
Data from MVP showed that in both the United Kingdom and the United States, searches for Jake Paul consistently surpassed those for Ilia Topuria and UFC 317 in general. Despite Topuria’s impressive performance at UFC 317—where he defeated Oliveira in just over two minutes to become the first undefeated two-division champion in the promotion—the search volume for Jake Paul remained dominant. However, this disparity in online interest may not fully capture the actual fan engagement or viewership numbers between the two events.
Comparing Audience Engagement for UFC 317 and Jake Paul’s Boxing Match
The UFC 317 main event pitted Ilia Topuria, an undefeated lightweight moving up a weight class, against Charles Oliveira, an experienced and accomplished opponent. Topuria’s first-round knockout victory in 2 minutes and 27 seconds delivered a significant statement in the MMA world. Meanwhile, Jake Paul’s boxing bout with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. drew considerable attention due to Paul’s rising influence in combat sports beyond traditional boxing circles.
While Google search trends favored Jake Paul, video engagement on platforms like YouTube suggested strong interest in UFC 317 fights as well. UFC 317 fight highlights have accumulated over 13 million views, contrasting with Jake Paul’s Chavez Jr. fight highlights, which have gathered approximately 2.7 million views. This suggests that online search popularity and video engagement metrics might paint different pictures about fan interest and that the complete pay-per-view viewership numbers, once available, will provide more definitive data.
Moreover, MVP indicated that although UK search trends have shown increased attention toward UFC 317 and Ilia Topuria, the US market still leans toward Jake Paul. This underscores the regional variations in combat sports fandom, with Paul’s broad appeal leveraging his social media presence and celebrity status. His team remains optimistic about his future prospects, anticipating that his growing ambitions could further amplify his influence in the fight world.
The Potential $5 Million Offer for Jake Paul’s Rematch with Tommy Fury
Jake Paul’s fight career continues to make headlines beyond his recent bout, particularly regarding a possible rematch with Tommy Fury. Tyson Fury, Tommy’s older half-brother and a renowned heavyweight boxing champion, revealed in a public video that he reached out directly to Paul to discuss making the rematch happen. Fury’s message mixed frustration with interest, signaling the importance of finalizing the fight.
I’ve even texted Jake Paul to say like ‘What’s going on? Do you want to get it on with Tommy and make the fight happen?’
— Tyson Fury, Heavyweight Champion
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions and Jake Paul’s business partner, recently confirmed Tyson Fury’s statement and provided additional details about the negotiations. Bidarian revealed that Paul offered Tommy Fury $5 million for the rematch and claimed that no other party is offering such a sum.
I can confirm he did text Jake and say you and Tommy need the rematch. I can also confirm Jake responded that said he offered Tommy $5 million and he’s not getting that money from anyone else.
— Nakisa Bidarian, Co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions
This rematch holds significant implications for Paul since his sole professional loss came against Tommy Fury. Securing a victory in a rematch would be critical for Paul to solidify his credibility as a serious contender in combat sports. Fans are now left anticipating when the two fighters will agree on a date to settle the rivalry.
Jake Paul’s Expanding Ambitions and Future Fight Prospects
Despite the ongoing focus on a potential rematch with Tommy Fury, Jake Paul is already shaping his next goals. Discussions are emerging about bouts with other high-profile boxers, including the possibility of facing Canelo Alvarez, a renowned world champion. Paul’s continuous push into top-tier fights underscores his ambitions to transcend his origins as a social media influencer and establish himself as a legitimate world title contender.
Although debate continues about whether Jake Paul’s star power truly eclipsed UFC 317 or if search trends provide a skewed picture, his presence has unquestionably amplified interest in combat sports beyond traditional fan bases. Both events have contributed notable moments to the fight world, with Ilia Topuria’s swift dominance carving out his place in MMA history and Paul’s promotional savvy generating widespread attention.
As pay-per-view figures and broader fan reactions emerge in the coming weeks, clearer insights into the impact of these concurrent events will unfold. For now, the clash between Jake Paul’s rising boxing career and the UFC’s ongoing competitive drama reflects the evolving landscape of combat sports entertainment.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Ilia Topuria Turkish?
A. Ilia Topuria, born on January 21, 1997, is a mixed martial artist from Georgia and Spain. He fights in the Lightweight division of the UFC. Currently, he holds the title of UFC Lightweight Champion.