Logan Paul’s UFC Dreams: Did CM Punk’s History Sabotage Pro Wrestlers’ Opportunities?

Logan Paul’s been hyping up an MMA move for ages, but it turns out the YouTube sensation and WWE star actually tried to step into the octagon in 2024—only to get ghosted by Dana White. The 29-year-old spilled the tea on his latest podcast episode, revealing he pitched himself for a big UFC gig this past year, only to be met with crickets.

“I told Dana for UFC 300, I texted him ‘Hey man, consider me available to fight on the undercard in the Sphere,’” Paul said. “Basically completely ignored me, which I think speaks volumes. I haven’t bothered him about it since. I think for the right fight, the right amount of money [I would do it], and I’m an entertainer at the end of the day.” Oof, talk about a cold shoulder. He’s mixing up UFC 300 (April at T-Mobile Arena) and UFC 306 (the Sphere show), but either way, White wasn’t biting, and Paul’s let it slide—for now.

With his wrestling chops—he snagged third place at Ohio’s state finals back in the day—Paul’s got a legit base for MMA. But he’s got a theory about why White might’ve swerved: CM Punk’s UFC flop. Punk, real name Phil Brooks, ditched WWE in 2014 for a multi-fight UFC deal, only to crash and burn. His 2016 debut ended in a brutal first-round submission loss to Mickey Gall, and his 2018 follow-up was a unanimous decision dud against Mike Jackson. “He f*cked it up,” Paul said about Punk. “He f*cked it up and after that Dana was like ‘I’m never doing this again.’ But dude, I’m not CM Punk. He’s a great wrestler, not a UFC fighter. I think I would be a much better UFC fighter than I would just a boxer. My skill is wrestling. I’m a wrestler.” Shots fired, but he’s got a point—Punk’s 0-2 might’ve soured White on WWE crossovers.

Paul’s no stranger to combat sports, having boxed Floyd Mayweather and danced around in a few other ring scraps. That wrestling foundation, paired with some pugilistic flair, could make MMA a smoother fit than boxing ever was. Still, after White’s non-response, he’s not holding his breath. Instead, he’s doubling down on WWE, where he’s found his groove. “I think I found a path,” Paul said. “I’m a WWE superstar now, and it’s one of the only things I’ve done in my life where I feel so at home like ‘oh you were kind of meant to do this thing.’ I don’t know if I want to turn away from that at the moment and dedicate time to something that would be like a side quest at this point.” Fair enough—why mess with a good thing when you’re killing it in the squared circle?

So, Logan in the UFC? Looks like a pipe dream for now. White’s silence was the nail in the coffin, and Paul’s too busy slamming foes on WWE mats to chase a cage fight that might never happen. Still, you can’t help but wonder—what if?