Chiefs’ Mahomes, Kelce and Hill are ready to take on MMA fighter ... in pickleball

MMA fighter Julian Marquez learned a valuable lesson this weekend about getting publicity: Mention star players from the Chiefs after your fight.

Marquez, a native of Kansas City, defeated Sam Alvey in Las Vegas on Saturday. In a televised interview afterward, Marquez threw down the gauntlet to a trio of Chiefs players.

“You guys know I’m the baddest man from Kansas City, the baddest middleweight in Missouri,” Marquez said. “And this is one thing, this is my time right now, so Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, I challenge you guys to a badminton or pickleball competition. Straight up.

“If you guys want to see who the pound-for-pound champ is in Kansas City, you’re coming after me. This magnificent beard tops all of what you guys have to bring.”

Each of the Chiefs players responded to the challenge, and it seems pickleball was chosen over badminton.

This would be a lot of fun to watch, right? It would be great if it actually took place and they competed here in Kansas City. As Kelce noted, he’s ready to do it at Chicken N Pickle.

The challenge was reported by multiple media outlets and it was a good way for Marquez to get his name out there in KC.