Jake ​Paul. Image via: Megan Briggs/ Getty Images​Mercello Hernández didn't need long to find his target at the 2026 ESPYs. During a nearly 10-minute opening monologue, the 28-year-old comedian turned his sights on Jake Paul's well-documented pattern of fighting opponents well past their prime, drawing one of the biggest reactions of the night.Hernández, hosting the ceremony in New York, spent the monologue working through a list of recent sports headlines, including Tiger Woods' DUI incident and callbacks to previous host Shane Gillis. But it was the Paul material that landed hardest with the crowd.Jake Paul gets hilariously roasted at the ESPYsHernández built the joke around Paul's tendency to fight aging boxers, framing it as a mock warning before turning the bit on his own family. He opened with a backhanded compliment about the night's guest list, then pivoted straight into the setup. "Jake, that's just a joke. Don't fight me," Hernández said, before delivering the punchline aimed at his own relatives.Rather than reacting poorly, Paul appeared to take the joke in stride, laughing through the segment rather than pushing back, according to the brief's account of the broadcast.Fans react to Mercello Hernández's Jake Paul roastThe joke spread quickly online. One fan account, @Mufcmilitant1, posted that the ESPYs "really don't hold back" and that Paul "walked right into that one."Another user, @Vision33X, joked that Paul's fight resume "reads like an aarp newsletter."@Sionainnagins piled on with a bit about Paul "collecting father figures like Pokémon cards."Not every reaction focused purely on comedy. @SwaydayWrestlin referenced the toll of Paul's fight with Anthony Joshua, writing that Joshua "rearranged his entire smile" and questioning how the bout was sanctioned in the first place.@agentmma summed up the moment bluntly, saying Paul "got cooked in front of everybody, no comeback to that one."Jake Paul admits fighting Anthony Joshua was a mistakeThe Joshua fight has loomed over Paul's career since it broke his jaw last December, sidelining him from fighting or sparring since. Speaking with Pat McAfee, Paul confirmed he's still working his way back and expects to be cleared to spar soon.He acknowledged the Joshua matchup was a step too far, saying his focus going forward will be different. "I just probably won't fight Olympic gold medal heavyweights anymore," Paul said, adding that he's already in talks with multiple potential opponents.Jake Paul hints at next opponentAmong the names Paul floated is Brock Lesnar, who turns 49 this year and hasn't recorded a competitive MMA win since 2010. Paul pointed to his own wrestling background as justification for the matchup, saying he wrestled Division I in Ohio. A rematch scenario with Nate Diaz, whom Paul beat by boxing decision in August 2023, also remains on the table according to Paul's comments.Whether either fight materializes remains unclear, but for now, Paul's résumé of opponents well beyond their athletic peak continues to follow him, punchlines and all.