MVP MMA and PFL Merge to Form New Combat-Sports Promotion

On Thursday, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced a merger that will operate under the name MVP MMA. Co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian said the combined organization will directly target the UFC, while PFL chief executive John Martin described the partnership as a catalyst for accelerated growth in the combat-sports landscape.

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MVP entered the combat-sports arena with boxing events beginning in 2021 and made its MMA debut in May, staging a Netflix-broadcast card that featured pioneers Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. The PFL, launched in 2018 and currently broadcast on ESPN, has undergone several rebrandings—from the World Series of Fighting to a tournament format—and explored a purchase of Bellator in 2023. According to Bidarian, the PFL has struggled to attract mainstream attention because the UFC dominates the conversation and the league has lacked a consistent broadcast partner.

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• 2021 – MVP begins boxing promotions.

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• May 16 – MVP’s inaugural MMA event airs on Netflix with Rousey and Carano.

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• 2023 – PFL considers acquiring Bellator; Bidarian proposes a partnership with MVP instead.

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• Fall 2023 – John Martin begins focusing on MVP’s growth after observing the company’s “sheer numbers.”

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• Thursday, 2024 – Merger of MVP and PFL announced, creating MVP MMA.

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• Within six weeks of the merger announcement, the PFL signed roughly 20 new fighters representing more than 10 countries.

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• MVP aims to launch the combined brand with a U.S. broadcast partner by 2027, with ESPN identified as a preferred partner.

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• Jake Paul pledged that the new entity will compete directly with the UFC on a day-in, day-out basis.

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• Nakisa Bidarian emphasized that the merger will enable cross-promotion, storytelling, and the creation of “MVP world champion” titles that resonate with younger fans. She also highlighted plans to showcase fighters such as Usman Nurmagomedov as pound-for-pound talent.

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• John Martin noted that the announcement has already generated interest from every major U.S. distributor and expressed hope that ESPN will deepen its commitment to combat sports. He also referenced MVP’s existing relationship with Netflix as a model for broader exposure.

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• Bidarian compared the organization’s market ambition to “Pepsi to Coke,” projecting a 12- to 24-month timeline to achieve comparable market share.

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The merger blends MVP’s constant media presence with the PFL’s tournament-style roster, potentially offering fighters pathways between boxing and MMA. By targeting Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, the new brand seeks to reshape fan perceptions of who the “best fighters” are. A successful broadcast partnership could increase visibility for non-UFC promotions and diversify the U.S. combat-sports market.

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Sources do not provide concrete timelines for overt competition with the UFC or detailed financial projections, leaving the scale of the merger’s competitive impact uncertain.

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MVP MMA plans to secure a U.S. broadcast partner and launch the rebranded promotion in 2027. Ongoing discussions with ESPN are highlighted as a key step toward expanding the organization’s reach and establishing a sustained presence in the combat-sports ecosystem.

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