Most Valuable Promotions merges with Professional Fighters League
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) announced a merger that creates a new global combat‑sports company operating under the MVP banner. The partnership combines MVP’s boxing platform with PFL’s MMA roster, media assets and event infrastructure, and is backed by founding investors 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management. Co‑founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian will remain on the board while former PFL chief John Martin becomes CEO.
The merged entity will feature nearly 400 elite athletes across boxing and MMA and intends to challenge the UFC’s market dominance. Jake Paul has publicly said the goal is to "win the fight" against the UFC, and the move has spurred reactions such as Cris Cyborg’s call for a Netflix‑aired superfight with Ronda Rousey. The company plans aggressive investment in both sports, broader global distribution deals and a fighter‑first philosophy aimed at improving compensation and visibility for athletes.
Entities: Jake Paul · John Martin · Most Valuable Promotions · Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) · Nakisa Bidarian · Professional Fighters League · Professional Fighters League (PFL)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The merged entity will have nearly 400 elite athletes across boxing and MMA. (multiple sources)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian are co‑founders of the merged company, with John Martin serving as CEO. (multiple sources)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The combined company will operate under the MVP banner and include both boxing and MMA. (multiple sources)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cris Cyborg publicly said she wants a title superfight with Ronda Rousey on Netflix. (multiple sources)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The merger is intended to challenge the UFC's market dominance. (multiple sources)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Jake Paul said, “We don’t want to just pick a fight, we want to win the fight.” (multiple sources)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Most Valuable Promotions merged with the Professional Fighters League. (Article IDs: 909b8d77-af14-4826-bd22-f9f54401ab31, ff2e1eb3-b133-489d-a097-701e4b60ae2c, 7dc8e9d0-fe4d-4736-ab9d-c5065c1)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Investors 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management became founding investors in the new entity. (multiple sources)