Most Valuable Promotions aims to become a long-term challenger
to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship after completing its merger with
the
Professional Fighters League, combining live events, fighter
promotion and entertainment content under a single brand.
Jake Paul’s MVP Reveals Ambitious Plan to Challenge UFC
MVP’s merger with PFL represents one of the most significant recent
developments in the professional mixed martial arts landscape. The
combined company will operate under the MVP name and merge its
promotional and talent management operations with the PFL’s event
infrastructure and roster.
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MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian and other executives spoke to
Business Insider about how MVP plans to compete
with the UFC.
“We’re not going to overtake UFC in the near term,” Bidarian said.
“Over time, we want to chip away and hopefully create a Nike and
Adidas dynamic, a Pepsi and Coke dynamic, over the next seven to 10
years.”
PFL CEO John Martin said the goal is to move beyond being only a
live-events company and become a broader entertainment
platform.
“It’s a change in mindset to come from just being a live events
company with elite athletes to being a real content and
entertainment company,” Martin said.
Bidarian believes Jake Paul’s
popularity will be a key factor in MVP’s efforts to grow its
audience and build new stars.
“He’s not just a creator — he’s a combat sports entrepreneur and
fighter,” Bidarian added. “He’s a unicorn asset when it comes to
being a fighter and a promoter at the same time. Jake is the best
engagement-getter in combat sports by a wide margin.”