Most Valuable Promotions and PFL merge to form new global combat sports company

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) have announced a landmark merger that brings boxing, mixed martial arts, live events, athlete development and global media distribution together under a single company operating under the MVP banner.

The deal marks the next stage of MVP's expansion into MMA following the launch of MVP MMA earlier this year, while giving the promotion access to PFL's established global infrastructure, roster and international event schedule.

The merged company will be led by former Turner and Time Warner executive John Martin, who takes over as Chief Executive Officer and joins the board alongside MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian.

Under the new structure, Bidarian will continue overseeing MVP's boxing business and blockbuster live events, while Paul will remain focused on audience growth, fighter development and expanding the company's global brand.

The merger is also backed by new investment from 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital Management, giving the company what it describes as its strongest financial position to date.

Rather than operating as separate brands, PFL's MMA roster, league operations and international infrastructure will become the foundation of MVP MMA, with the transition expected to be completed over the coming months.

The combined organisation will represent nearly 400 athletes across boxing and mixed martial arts and plans to stage five premium live events during August as it begins operating under its new structure.

MVP will also retain distribution agreements with major broadcast partners including Netflix, ESPN, Sky Sports and DAZN, alongside PFL's existing network of international media partners reaching fans in more than 170 countries.

For MVP, the merger significantly accelerates its ambitions in mixed martial arts by combining its marketing reach and growing audience with PFL's established global operations.

For PFL, it creates a single organisation capable of promoting both boxing and MMA while continuing to invest in fighter development, live events and international expansion under one brand.

Speaking following the announcement, co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said the merger would accelerate MVP's ambitions in MMA while strengthening its commitment to boxing, adding that combining MVP's audience-building capabilities with PFL's infrastructure would create "a new global home for combat sports."

Jake Paul also reaffirmed the company's commitment to its fighter-first philosophy and suggested the promotion intends to compete aggressively for talent across both sports, telling fighters outside the organisation that MVP would be "open for business" once they become contractually available.