‘Time for change is now’ – MVP and PFL merge

Most Valuable Promotions and the Professional Fighters League have merged to create “a combat sports company for the new era”.

The newly formed partnership will be led by MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, with PFL CEO John Martin also on the board.

The PFL will move under the brand of MVP to bring together a roster of more than 300 fighters.

MVP focused on boxing when launching in 2021 but ventured into mixed martial arts (MMA) for the first time in May.

“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said.

“We wanted to give fighters fair pay and a bigger, modernised stage to become global superstars. Joining forces with PFL accelerates that vision by a decade.

“To all current MVP and PFL fighters, things just got bigger. To fighters fighting in other organisations, we are open for business when you are contractually free. The time for change is now.”

MVP’s first – and only – MMA show set a new record for the most-watched MMA event in the United States, with 17 million viewers globally watching Ronda Rousey beat Gina Carano – according to broadcaster Netflix.

The PFL has attempted to innovate the MMA space since launching in 2017, opting for a league-based system with points gained in each fight before season-ending play-offs.

It initially offered prize money of $1m (£750,000) but made sweeping changes in 2025 and reduced that to $500,000 (£374,000).

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s number two global MMA company,” 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.”

It comes after MVP announced a new partnership with Matchroom Boxing on Tuesday, with the aim of creating more opportunities for female fighters across both promotional rosters.

MVP has invested heavily in women’s boxing over the past five years and boasts an impressive stable of world champions, including Britons Caroline Dubois and Chantelle Cameron.