Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, has merged with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) to form a new combat sports entity. The new company, which will operate under the MVP banner, intends to disrupt the existing model dominated by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) by focusing on "fighter-first" philosophies, including equitable compensation and encouraging athletes to build their personal brands.
According to MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, the goal is not to immediately overtake the UFC but to "chip away and hopefully create a Nike and Adidas dynamic, a Pepsi and Coke dynamic, over the next seven to 10 years." John Martin, former CEO of PFL, will serve as CEO of the newly formed company. Existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management are founding investors, committing new capital to the venture.
Jake Paul, described by Bidarian as a "unicorn asset" and the "best engagement-getter in combat sports by a wide margin," will be a significant part of the effort, including competing himself in both boxing and making his MMA debut. The merged company plans to host five premium events across boxing and MMA in August and will have a combined roster of 400 athletes. They also aim to invest aggressively in both sports and welcome fighters from other organizations once their contracts are free. Paul emphasizes that the merger accelerates MVP's vision by a decade, allowing them to provide fans with "elite talent mixed with culture, lifestyle, and massive social velocity."
