Jake Paul is heading back to the ring on Christmas Eve. However, his return fight will not stream on Netflix, according to the New York Post.
What We Know: Paul plans to fight in Dubai, nearly a year after Anthony Joshua broke his jaw. Additionally, Most Valuable Promotions has contacted Darren Till, Chris Eubank, Edgar Berlanga and KSI. Meanwhile, two of Paul’s last three fights aired on Netflix. His Mike Tyson bout drew 108 million viewers, while the Joshua fight drew 33 million. Yet, less than two months till the event and despite previous success on Netflix, the event has yet to establish a streaming platform.
What’s At Stake: Jake Paul’s MVP Promotions has a proof of concept and success with the Netflix platform. However, with executive shakeups and layoffs earlier this month, Netflix could be standing by to see if other players in the space are willing to bid for the content that they have owned.
What Remains Unclear: Paul still has no opponent or broadcast partner for the event. Likewise, organizers have not named a venue. Whether or not the event is postponed due to these hurdles is unknown.
What It Means: DAZN PPV looks like the probable home, just as it was for Paul’s three non-Netflix fights. DAZN historically has been a streaming destination for fight sports. Still, Netflix’s absence raises questions after the streamer fired Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria this month. Her replacement, former FOX Sports executive Peter Rice, started Monday. Even so, Netflix still carries a Christmas Day NFL doubleheader and Joshua vs. Fury.
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