A Stunning Revelation
Until mere hours ago, I had no idea that Jake and Logan Paul were two different people. They occupied the same space of “that Paul guy” in my brain. It was such an ambiguous placeholder that I never spent to time to learn that they were similar in genetic makeup, but completely separate entities in the world. Each one their own man with their own thoughts, feelings, bank accounts, and (presumably) sleeping arrangements. Two brothers who have been transitioning from one stardom to the next in increasingly aggressive ways.
A Worthy Opponent?
Dillon Danis, on the other hand, is someone who I have been aware of for quite a while. He made waves winning a few high profile Jiu Jitsu tournaments at brown belt, and rose to fame as Conor McGregor’s grappling coach. He even had a very competitive match with Gordon Ryan at a time when they both were rising stars. His star would be quickly tarnished as everyone realized how useless it is to be Conor McGregor’s grappling coach. That and a habit of backing out of fights. And also a habit of embarrassing
Jake Paul – image, National Today
public displays. Such as this video here, where he gets choked out by a nightclub bouncer and tries to tap. Ain’t no taps in the streets, Dillon.
Danis’s current opponent is LOGAN PAUL. Who is a different person than his younger brother JAKE PAUL. Jake Paul is the brother that is hunting and killing forty year old, (washed up) MMA fighters for sport. Logan Paul is engaged to Nina Agdal.
The Function of Trash Talk
This has all been preface to get to the point of this exercise. You may ask yourself, “Dane, why bother yourself with the trappings of these turds? This isn’t the dry, analytic, boring, detail-obsessed nerd garbage you stick to. Why venture into the muck of internet- Logan Paul – image, Teen Vogue soaked, Gen Z mentality? Why not eat some prunes and take a nap?” To whit I say, “get off my lawn and quit stealing my newspaper.”
I want to make a broader point about where trash talk lives in the fight game. When Muhammed Ali stepped to the ring with style and bravado, it inspired people for decades. When Conor McGregor turned to Jeremy Stephens and pondered his very existence, it spawned clones instantly. 
Conor McGregor – image, The US Sun
I have a memory of Mike Tyson lashing out at a journalist from when I was a kid, and it still gets me pumped. You know the one. I don’t have to link it.
The Charisma
Nobody has to be charismatic in the fight game. All you have to be is exceptionally gifted at fighting. This is an impossible endeavor in and of itself. To find discipline, drive, perseverance, and athletic gifts early enough to peak them in the prime of someone’s life is already a Herculean task. Most combat athletes are better served sticking to a script.
Danis, McGregor – image, Sporting News
When a fighter has not just athletic ability, but a way with words and a way with the camera, the stars align for him, and rightfully so. It’s a magic person that can inspire others in speech and combat. It’s such an inextricable part of fight marketing, that every fighter has to try their hand at it. Some get famous for being bad at it.
Or Lack Thereof
All week I’ve been hearing about Dillon Danis’s trash talk and the Paul’s reactions and retorts. From internet MMA media, I’ve been hearing words like, “roasted” and “scorched.” I’ve been hearing about how much Dillon is getting to Logan Paul. I’ve heard enough that I had to look into it myself. This is what I’ve found. I was surprised to find out not only that “that Paul guy” was two guys, but also that this is what passes for good trash talk in this realm of celebrity influencer boxing. It falls in line with the mindset of most Logan Paul fans, I imagine, but taken in any broader context it sucks. It really sucks. I love when a fighter gets inside his opponent’s head and plants psychological bombs. It’s amazing when two high level athletes pull every mental faculty together to sell fights. This ain’t that. This is shit.
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