Paul’s Deal Sets Up Battle With UFC in Combat Sports

By the Editorial Team · Friday, July 31, 2026

Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions is merging with the Professional Fighters League to create a combined combat sports company focused on promoting both boxing and MMA events under the MVP name. This merger aims to challenge the UFC’s dominance by leveraging Paul’s large social media following and expanding their roster to nearly 400 athletes, positioning the new entity as a major competitor in the rapidly growing combat sports market.

Jake Paul’s combat sports company Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is merging with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) in a strategic move aimed at challenging the dominance of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). The announcement comes amid a surge in popularity for mixed martial arts (MMA), a sport that has gained significant cultural and commercial traction in recent years.

The combined entity will operate under the MVP name and remain privately held. It plans to feature nearly 400 athletes and promote both boxing and MMA events, building on MVP’s boxing focus and PFL’s MMA experience. John Martin, PFL’s Chief Executive and a former Time Warner executive, will lead the merged organization. Martin has been pursuing opportunities in combat sports for over a decade and unsuccessfully attempted to acquire the UFC during his tenure at Time Warner. “This is personal for me,” Martin said, emphasizing the potential for growth within combat sports and expressing his ambition to establish a viable alternative to the UFC.

Jake Paul, a social media influencer with millions of followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, co-founded MVP in 2021 alongside former UFC finance executive Nakisa Bidarian. Paul began his professional boxing career in 2020 and has since helped propel MVP to broader audiences, notably when Netflix streamed his 2024 boxing match against Mike Tyson—a first for the streaming service as a live sporting event. Paul and Bidarian will continue to serve on the board of the merged company.

The merger taps into the booming commercial market for combat sports. UFC’s growing appeal has been marked by high-profile connections, including UFC CEO Dana White’s links to former President Donald Trump, who recently hosted a cage match on the White House’s South Lawn. Other celebrities such as Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, and various actors frequently attend major fights, highlighting the sport’s rising cultural cachet. Paramount’s $7.7 billion, seven-year deal with UFC’s parent company TKO Group for exclusive media rights underscores the lucrative nature of this sector.

The new MVP aims to leverage Jake Paul’s significant online presence and the sport’s capacity for producing viral moments fueled by drama, storylines, and rivalries. The company currently maintains a nonexclusive partnership with Netflix and has broadcast fights through ESPN, Sky Sports, and DAZN. By combining forces, MVP and PFL hope to expand their reach and offer a formidable alternative in a competitive combat sports landscape increasingly dominated by the UFC.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.