Paul Smith MMA Fight: Before, During, and After

British comedian Paul Smith first took the public by storm when videos of him roasting the audiences at his concerts went viral. While this is not an uncommon practice for a lot of standup comedians, there was something in Smith’s style that drew the viewers to it and even made them want to be roasted, giving his career an unexpected boost. 

Yet, that wasn’t the last time the Liverpool comedian was going to surprise his audience. Fans were in for another shock when Smith announced he was going to fight another British celebrity, Jake Quickenden, in Oktagon MMA.

Paul Smith MMA Stats

Stage to the Cage Announcement

Reality TV stars, YouTubers, and other celebrities are known to have turned to martial arts in recent years, so the concept wasn’t quite a novelty for the audience. However, nobody expected Paul Smith, who at the time wasn’t exactly in athletic shape, to come out on the ring. 

His opponent, a widely known reality TV star Jake Quickenden, had started out his career as a footballer, however he gained mainstream popularity after appearing twice on the talent show The X Factor in 2012 and 2014, and later becoming a runner-up on the series I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

The fight garnished special interest because it would mark MMA debuts for both contestants who had no exposure to the combat sports before. Both Smith and Quickenden took the preparation with all due diligence and got into a months-long training process. 

Their journey towards becoming trained fighters was televised in a documentary series that was broadcasted for 10 months on the British Channel 4 and Dazn, as well as Oktagon.tv. The series highlighted their training regiments, challenges and small victories, with a special focus on the techniques and skills, while also trying to take a peek into the both fighters’ inner worlds. 

What Happened Inside the Cage

The bout took place on November 4, 2003 in Manchester AO Arena. Both the comedian and the reality TV star began the fight with full force, swinging at each other. Paul Smith did a great job holding his own against a younger and taller Jake Quickenden. After he received a hook from his opponent, Smith, who also goes by his stage name, The Joker, tried to change his game and lead with leg kicks. However, the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! runner-up continued advancing with strikes. 

After Smith’s unsuccessful attempt to use a double leg takedown that was stuffed and defended by Quickenden, both fighters were separated to be brought back to the centre of the cage. But it seemed like the Liverpudlian contestant had lost his wind, and from that moment on Quickenden kept pressing him on until Smith stumbled into the cage and was sent on the mat through a sequence of well-delivered left hooks. The fight was waved off, with Quickended as the winner.

Paul Smith MMA Future: Is It Going to Happen?

Even though the Hot Water Comedy Club resident didn’t get to land the winning blow, throughout the fight the audience made it very clear that their sympathies lied with him. They cheered on Paul Smith as enthusiastically, as they booed on Jake Quickenden. Smith was very gracious about his defeat and said that despite the loss, he didn’t regret stepping inside the cage. He also praised his opponent and told the crowd to show him some support. 

Talking about future plans to continue fighting, Smith explicitly stated he knew he wouldn’t be returning on the floor even before the bout. He would still continue training, however, this fight would remain his one and only. 

Nevertheless, Smith spoke of the great influence the training had on both his physical and mental condition. Not only did the sessions bring him into great shape, as proved by the before and after photos, but the comedian confessed it was a blessing for his mental health that can suffer at times due to the downsides of life on the road.

While in the cage, Paul Smith addressed the crowd with a powerful message asking them to support the local MMA gyms, as these places are essential to keep young people away from street crimes. He urged the younger generation to take up combat sports instead of turning to the life of crime. He added that gyms like this embrace every member, they are communities that teach youngsters to have respect for each other.

The Liverpudlian comedian himself donated his entire purse to the Weapons Down Gloves Up charity. This British organization aims at reducing gun and knife crimes among the young generation by involving them in the community of combat sports.