Jake Paul Building Combat Sports Empire With MVP-PFL Merger

In the landscape of combat sports, the biggest names from a promotional end are islands unto themselves. In other words, they can thrive independently, without relying on anyone or anything for success.

So what happens when two separate companies have potential but don't have the traction of others? With limited options, joining forces could shake up the game.

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the company founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Biderian, has capitalized on strong boxing and MMA events from a streaming standpoint. On the other hand, since its inception, the Professional Fight League (PFL) has enjoyed modest success but has never threatened the UFC's grip on mixed martial arts.

Now, the two companies have united to affect both boxing and mixed martial arts. And the boxing arm seems the most intriguing. As mentioned, the UFC still owns MMA. Boxing is wider open and more lucrative for fighters.

American professional boxer, influencer and actor Jake Paul arrives at the Netflix Live Event on July 10, 2025. | IMAGO / NurPhoto

The new MVP structure

At the top of the MVP structure are three people: Paul, Biderian, and John Martin. Martin made his reputation as the head of Turner Sports, so he knows the production and business aspects better than most. He will serve as CEO of the new company.

"This merger brings scale—in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development, and in fan engagement," Martin said. "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."

Zuffa and UFC will go head-to-head against MVP in boxing and MMA

Dana White's UFC and Zuffa Boxing are now set to face off against MVP in the impending battle of promotions. Dana White wants monopolistic control over boxing, as he has in mixed martial arts. With the PFL now a part of MVP, the two will square off on the MMA front.

As for boxing, while Jake Paul's MVP mainly focuses on women, some of the biggest fights to have taken place over the past few years have been MVP events, namely Paul vs Tyson and Paul vs Joshua. And while Zuffa did promote Canelo vs Crawford, their own events thus far haven't seen the hype that Paul's has.

Earlier this week, Paul also announced that MVP and Matchroom Promotions would team up to take women's boxing to new heights. Collaborating with an experienced promoter like Eddie Hearn could also help MVP create further inroads in the UK and Europe.

Can MVP continue to build momentum? What further moves will they make to create a deeper footprint in the sports?

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