Most Valuable Promotions isn’t shying away from going against
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship following its merger with the
Professional Fighters League.
Shortly after the merger, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian doubled
down on the promotion’s long-term ambitions, arguing that the new
venture will prioritize fighters in ways he believes the industry
leader has failed to do. This comes shortly after UFC CEO Dana
White dismissed the newly merged company as a threat to his
promotion.
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MVP co-founder outlines why he believes the merged promotion
can become a legitimate UFC rival
The merger between MVP and PFL represents one of the most
significant recent developments in the professional mixed martial
arts landscape. While some have suggested the merger could create a
viable competitor to the UFC, others have dismissed that
possibility.
Bidarian has now highlighted MVP’s long-term approach. Speaking to
TMZ Sports, he said the organization’s vision centers on creating a
fighter-first platform.
“Our opportunity is very clear: a fighter-first platform that
prioritizes the fans,” Bidarian said. “The incumbent in the space
doesn’t prioritize building fighter IP, but prioritizes the
company’s IP. That’s great business, but you have to make fighters
feel like they’re the priority. That’s what our platform has always
been about.”
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Bidarian, who previously worked for the UFC, suggested key areas
where the promotion often falls short.
“I had the privilege of being at the UFC… They’re the best
promotional entity in the world,” he added. “But I also saw what
things I would do better.”
Bidarian also criticized White’s approach to promoting events,
citing a recent media appearance in which the UFC CEO dismissed a
reporter’s question about the card.
“That’s the irreverence of what that has become in terms of
fighters and the product,” Bidarian said.
Despite conceding that MVP remains well behind the UFC in terms of
longevity and overall scale, Bidarian pointed to the company’s
recent successes as proof that it can emerge as a legitimate
competitor.
“Jake said it last week: there’s Nike and Adidas, there’s Coke and
Pepsi,” Bidarian said. “We want it to be UFC and MVP. We’re not
fooling ourselves into thinking we’ll become the reference brand in
a year or two, but give us a little bit of time.”