Jake Paul has a knack for getting under his opponents’ skin, and it seems his latest target, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, is finally starting to crack. After Ngannou exited his contract with the PFL, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) quickly signed him for a bout against Philipe Lins on May 16 for the co-main event spot on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano card. At the same time, Paul has been actively trying to lure the Cameroonian-French star into a boxing match down the line.

“I’m definitely going to keep on fighting. We will see how the jaw continues to heal up… Francis Ngannou was talking a lot of smack,” Paul said a few days ago. “I think that’s an easy fight for me. I think he’s a terrible boxer, and I want to go back up to heavyweight and knock him out [as] Joshua did, and render him unconscious. And he knows I lasted longer than him against Joshua and didn’t get put out.

“So I think he maybe wouldn’t do the fight because I think deep down he wouldn’t want, would not want to get embarrassed.”

Before settling on a fight against Anthony Joshua in December, Jake Paul’s team had approached Francis Ngannou. However, the Cameroonian-French refused the bout. In an interview with TMZ Sports, Ngannou said he felt disrespected by the idea of Jake Paul thinking he could fight him, but now that feeling appears to have vanished.

“Let’s just say he’s being Jake,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani. “I don’t really know what to say about it. He’s always been like that… [He] keeps being pushy and says all these things like, which is the same thing that he’s saying now. Now I’m used to it. But back then, that was like the first time he was coming out with it.”

When asked directly whether he is interested in fighting Paul next, Ngannou said, “I want to.” He added that he wants to “kick (Jake Paul’s) a–” now.

Jake Paul showed up front and center for Ngannou’s launch press conference earlier this month, where the two exchanged barbs. The 29-year-old claimed Ngannou had avoided a fight against him. Nevertheless, this comes after Ngannou made a difficult confession about Jake Paul.

Francis Ngannou claims he respects Jake Paul, but wants to slap him

According to a report from TMZ Sports, Ngannou insists he respects Jake Paul, but there’s clearly tension beneath the surface. The former UFC heavyweight champion acknowledged Paul’s growth in boxing, admitting he once saw him as “just some YouTube guy.” Now, however, Ngannou recognizes the shift in perception. 

“When you talk about Jake Paul, they talk about him like a boxer,” Ngannou said.

Despite that respect, Ngannou hasn’t appreciated Paul’s recent comments, including accusations that he avoided a fight with him. The criticism appears to have struck a nerve.

“I just feel like I need to give him some slaps,” Ngannou said. “That’s just how I feel… like slapping him off.”

Francis Ngannou’s sudden show of respect for Jake Paul may have more to do with business than admiration. With millions already on the table from the promotion, and even bigger paydays possible if a fight materializes, the Cameroonian star has a clear financial incentive to keep things cordial. 

Now that he’s openly expressed interest in facing Paul, this shift in tone could be a strategic move—less about genuine respect and more about positioning himself for an even more lucrative deal. In that sense, it looks like Ngannou might be cozying up just enough to secure a bigger paycheck down the line, especially since the UFC is not taking him back.

That being said, it appears a big fight between Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul could happen soon. While the future showdown looms, Ngannou must first get past Philipe Lins, a potential banana-peel fight that could derail the lucrative spectacle before it even begins.