The Jake Paul next fight is official, and it isn’t the layup some people think it is. Paul returns on Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai against Cédric Doumbé, a two-time Glory welterweight kickboxing champion with 45 knockouts.
It’s Paul’s first fight since Anthony Joshua broke his jaw a year ago. And right now, nobody has said where you can watch it.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- The date: Thursday, December 24, 2026, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, promoted by Paul’s MVP.
- The opponent: Cédric Doumbé, 34, is 75-7-1 in kickboxing with 45 knockouts and 6-1 in MMA.
- No broadcaster yet: Netflix carried Paul vs Joshua, but no platform has been named for this one.
- The size gap matters: Doumbé won his titles at 170 pounds. This is an eight-round cruiserweight fight at 200.
- Our pick: Jake Paul by decision, as long as the jaw holds up early.
Table of Contents
Jake Paul Next Fight: Date, Venue and Rules
Jake Paul vs Cédric Doumbé Quick Facts
MVP announced Paul’s return on October 29 and revealed Doumbé days later, as Yahoo Sports reported. The Dubai Sports Council is co-promoting the fight.
Who Is Cédric Doumbé?
If you follow combat sports in France, you know exactly who this is. If you don’t, here’s the short version: Doumbé is a real fighter, and a dangerous one.
He’s 34, born in Cameroon and raised in France. He went 75-7-1 as a kickboxer with 45 knockouts and won the Glory welterweight title twice. In MMA, he’s 6-1, and all six wins came by knockout.
His PFL debut lasted nine seconds. He knocked out Jordan Zébo before most people found their seats. His only MMA loss came in 2024 against Baissangour Chamsoudinov, and he hasn’t fought since beating Jaleel Willis later that year.
💡 Did You Know?
Doumbé has exactly one professional boxing fight on his record, a win over Mohamed Fodil back in 2015. He signed with the UFC in 2022, but that fight never happened.
Where Jake Paul Is Coming From
Paul hasn’t fought since December 19, 2025, when Anthony Joshua knocked him out in the sixth round in Miami. His jaw was broken in two places and needed titanium plates. This past May, Paul admitted his boxing career was in doubt.
Now he says he’s “hungrier than ever.” Before Joshua, he’d built a 12-1 record: six straight wins to start, a loss to Tommy Fury in 2023, then six more wins, including a win over Mike Tyson. Whatever you think of him, he keeps coming back.
“I’m going to finish the job Joshua started.”
Cédric Doumbé, on facing Jake Paul
Why This Is Classic Jake Paul Matchmaking
The obvious take is that Paul picked another big name from another sport. That’s true. But that’s the thing: kickboxing records don’t transfer cleanly to boxing.
Take away the kicks and knees, and you take away a big part of what made Doumbé great. Boxing is a different rhythm, a different stance and a different defense. Plenty of elite kickboxers look ordinary when it’s only hands.
Then there’s size. Doumbé won his Glory titles at 170 pounds. This fight is at 200, with 10-ounce gloves, over eight rounds. Paul has been fighting at cruiserweight and above for years. Come on, that’s a 30-pound jump for a guy who hasn’t boxed professionally in 11 years.
The complicating factor is the jaw. Doumbé is a finisher who can end it in seconds, and nobody knows how Paul’s chin holds up after that surgery. One clean shot early changes everything.
Where to Watch: No Home Yet
This is the strangest part. Netflix streamed Paul vs. Joshua, but no broadcaster has been named for the Christmas Eve card, per BookmakersReview. A Jake Paul fight seven weeks out with no platform is not normal.
Maybe it’s a pay-per-view. I doubt it. My guess is it streams somewhere, and it’d be fitting for it to land on YouTube, where it all started for him. Timing is another wrinkle: 9 p.m. in Dubai is noon Eastern on Christmas Eve.
Jake Paul vs Cédric Doumbé Prediction
For the Jake Paul Next Fight, no sportsbook had posted a line as of November 2, but expect Paul to open as the favorite. I agree with that. The size, the gloves, and the eight rounds all favor the guy who’s been boxing for six years.
The pick: Jake Paul by unanimous decision. Where could I be wrong? The first two rounds. If Doumbé lands clean on that jaw early, this ends fast, and the internet melts down on Christmas Eve.
Reality Check: A Dangerous Name in the Wrong Sport
The Reality: Doumbé is one of the most dangerous strikers Paul has ever faced, but he’s fighting in Paul’s sport, at Paul’s weight, on Paul’s promotion. That’s the formula every time. It’s a real risk dressed up as a bigger one, and it still might be the most entertaining thing on TV on Christmas Eve.
For more on Paul’s promotion, read our take on MVP MMA on Netflix and how MVP MMA 1 compared with the UFC. Joshua is busy too, with Tyson Fury on December 11, so catch up on the Fury vs Joshua saga and the rest of our boxing coverage. We talk combat sports and everything else every second Tuesday on Tremendous Sports Talk.
Jake Paul Next Fight: Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Jake Paul next fight?
The Jake Paul next fight is Thursday, December 24, 2026, against Cédric Doumbé at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
Who is Cédric Doumbé?
Cédric Doumbé is a 34-year-old French fighter born in Cameroon. He is a two-time Glory welterweight kickboxing champion with a 75-7-1 record and 45 knockouts, and he is 6-1 in MMA.
Where can I watch Jake Paul vs Cédric Doumbé?
No broadcaster has been announced yet. Netflix streamed Paul vs. Anthony Joshua, but it hasn’t been named for this fight.
How many rounds is Jake Paul vs Doumbé?
It is scheduled for eight rounds at cruiserweight (200 pounds) with 10-ounce gloves.
What happened in Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua?
Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round on December 19, 2025, in Miami. Paul suffered a broken jaw in two places that needed surgery.
