Dana White has seen it all—champions rise, legends fall, and now, TikTok influencers knocking on the UFC’s door. Enter Bryce Hall, the social media star whose foray into combat sports isn’t your typical influencer side hustle. He debuted in 2021 with a boxing match against fellow content creator Austin McBroom, which he lost. But instead of retreating to online stardom, Hall doubled down.

In 2023, he entered the brutal world of bare-knuckle boxing, earning a win against Gee Perez. Now, the social media sensation, known for his millions of followers and cheeky antics, will step into the bare-knuckle boxing ring against MMA legend Kimbo Slice’s son on January 25, 2025. But will this be the end of his combat sports adventure? Apparently not, as Hall has recently put Dana White on notice with a bold message for the UFC CEO!

Bryce Hall reveals the conditions he has to fulfill to attain a UFC contract from Dana White  

During a candid chat on George Janko’s podcast episode no. 93, Bryce Hall revealed, “The last guy I fought bare knuckle was a 3 and 0 bare knuckle fighter. I think this next fight’s gonna be my last bare knuckle.” Now, Hall faces his toughest challenge yet—Kimbo Slice Jr., son of the legendary street fighter Kimbo Slice. Their showdown is set for January 25 at KnuckleMania in Philadelphia, BKFC’s marquee event which will be headlined by a bout between former UFC stars Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens.

But Hall further indicated that he has got his sights set on the Octagon! He confessed, “I wanna fight dude, I talked to Dana (White). I was pretty drunk, and I don’t know if he said this out of, like, like, ‘hey, dude. You’re drunk’. Like, whatever. But I said, hey if I win my next bare knuckle fight in impressive fashion, give me one fight in the UFC. I don’t care about the pay. He goes, ‘Yeah, we can talk about it’.”

Hall’s pitch was bold, even humorous. “Imagine me fighting in the UFC one time. 1st influencer to ever do a f***ing walking out of there. I don’t care if it’s a prelim. I just wanna fight one time in the UFC,” he mused, hinting at the spectacle such a moment would create.

While Hall acknowledged he’s no match for top-tier fighters when asked if he has a particular name in mind, he did put forth a condition for Dana White. What is it? Hall stated, “Dana White, I want a contract to the UFC if I knock Kimbo Slice junior out. Like, knock Kimbo Slice junior out. I want a contract to the UFC, one fight.”

Can an influencer-turned-bare-knuckle fighter, with just a few bouts under his belt, really step into the world’s most elite MMA promotion? Slice Jr. comes from fighting royalty and has a history of knockouts in celebrity boxing. A loss for Hall could dash his UFC dreams, while a win might force Dana White to take him seriously—even if reluctantly.

Yet, Hall’s UFC aspirations highlight a growing trend: influencers crossing into professional sports. After all, arguably the biggest influencer/combat sports crossover athlete has got his eyes set on an MMA bout with a certain Irishman!

Jake Paul is still angling for a Conor McGregor fight  

Boxing against a titan like Mike Tyson should have been the crowning moment of Jake Paul’s career. But the fight, hyped as a spectacle for the ages, fell short of expectations. Critics called it lackluster, with Paul unable to deliver the fireworks he had promised.

Still, ‘The Problem Child’ isn’t one to let criticism dim his spotlight. Why? Because he then turned his attention to Conor McGregor! In a bold challenge on X, Paul stated, “Dear Conor, I know you told my team you would fight me at 170 lbs. That’s never happening. But let’s run it in MMA. No weight class. Just like how it used to be done. But you won’t.”

In 2023, Paul had signed a multi-year deal with the PFL and ahead of his fight against Tyson, CEO Peter Murray stated to MMA Junkie, “Jake is committed to fighting major talent in MMA, we already talked about a couple other names under consideration. It’ll be a big name, and it’ll be the biggest MMA debut ever in the sport.”

However, with McGregor’s recent legal troubles and Paul’s issues with the UFC boss, it remains to be seen if ‘The Notorious’ and the ‘Problem Child’ will ever throw-down inside the cage. Still, the callouts and challenges keep the spotlight firmly on them—and on Dana White, who now faces mounting pressure to decide how far influencers can push into the world of MMA.

As Bryce Hall eyes a UFC debut and Paul doubles down on his Conor McGregor pursuit, the combat sports world finds itself at a crossroads. Can these influencers-turned-fighters earn their place in elite promotions? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!