Jake Paul, along with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, is now in charge of Professional Fighters League (PFL) following a “landmark merger” between the two organizations. The new company will operate under the MVP brand with PFL’s John Martin transitioning to Board Member and CEO.
MVP will continue its boxing business under the same banner but operate independent of MVP MMA.
“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said. “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.”
“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,” Martin said. “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.”
Additional leadership, organizational, and operational details will be announced at a later date.
