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The new company will operate under the MVP banner, led by Co-Founders and Board Members Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian. Meanwhile, former PFL CEO John Martin will serve as CEO and Board Member of the new league. MVP’s boxing business and blockbuster live events will continue under Bidarian. Existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and affiliated entities Knighthead Capital Management will be the founding investors of the new league, committing new capital.
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The new league vows to work under a “fighter-first” philosophy, seemingly challenging rival Ultimate Fighting Championship. While the UFC has been severely criticized over minimum profit share for athletes, the new combat sports league promises equitable compensation. The new league also plans to encourage athletes to build their brands inside and outside of competition, probably hinting at freedom to choose sponsors.
What the PFL-MVP merger means for Jake Paul, fighter pay, the UFC and the future of MMA and boxing
“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Jake Paul, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a press release. “We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernized stage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade. We now have a scaled platform to give today’s fans what they want: elite talent mixed with culture, lifestyle, and massive social velocity. MVP was always bigger than me and bigger than any one fighter. MVP is an inevitable movement that needs to happen for the athletes, and now we have all the resources we need to build something that changes this sport forever. I have more conviction in MVP than ever, driven by the proliferation of AI, which will only increase the value of real, live experiences and the sports properties that can bring fans closer to the athletes they love. I look forward to putting my entire promotional muscle into our new company, returning to the boxing ring and making my MVP MMA debut. To all current MVP and PFL fighters, things just got bigger. To fighters fighting in other organizations, we are open for business when you are contractually free. The time for change is now. Welcome to MVP.”
The combined company also vows to display its capabilities by hosting five premium events across boxing and MMA in August. The brand will have 400 athletes combined under its roster and plans to invest aggressively in both sports.
“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 broadcast and streaming partners, reaching fans in more than 170 countries,” John Martin, chief executive officer of the new company said in a press release. “At the same time, MVP has redefined how combat sports connects with a new generation of fans, creating events that become cultural moments and proving that athletes, sports, entertainment and creators can all thrive together. This merger brings scale – in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement. We’re not just combining companies, we’re bringing an entire combat sports community together and creating a more powerful platform to accelerate growth. One company, one global stage, millions of fans and we’re only just getting started. I’m excited to work with Jake and Nakisa as we build the future of combat sports together, and I’m deeply grateful for the continued confidence and support of our lead investors, 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management.”
🚨OFFICIAL: Most Valuable Promotions and the Professional Fighters League have officially merged.
Together under the MVP banner, we’re bringing world-class boxing, MMA, premium live events, athlete development, and global content distribution into one fighter-first… pic.twitter.com/Hy9mfR0Gde
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) July 30, 2026
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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