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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.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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