Most Valuable Promotions aims to become a long-term challenger
to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship after completing its merger with
the
Professional Fighters League, combining live events, fighter
promotion and entertainment content under a single brand.

Jake Paul’s MVP Reveals Ambitious Plan to Challenge UFC

MVP's merger with PFL represents one of the most significant recent
developments in the professional mixed martial arts landscape. The
combined company will operate under the MVP name and merge its
promotional and talent management operations with the PFL's event
infrastructure and roster.

MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian and other executives spoke to
Business Insider about how MVP plans to compete
with the UFC.

“We’re not going to overtake UFC in the near term,†Bidarian said.
“Over time, we want to chip away and hopefully create a Nike and
Adidas dynamic, a Pepsi and Coke dynamic, over the next seven to 10
years.â€

PFL CEO John Martin said the goal is to move beyond being only a
live-events company and become a broader entertainment
platform.

“It’s a change in mindset to come from just being a live events
company with elite athletes to being a real content and
entertainment company,†Martin said.

Bidarian believes Jake Paul's
popularity will be a key factor in MVP's efforts to grow its
audience and build new stars.

“He’s not just a creator — he’s a combat sports entrepreneur and
fighter,†Bidarian added. “He’s a unicorn asset when it comes to
being a fighter and a promoter at the same time. Jake is the best
engagement-getter in combat sports by a wide margin.â€

Usman
Nurmagomedov is currently the most sought-after free agent in
mixed martial arts.

His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently discussed Nurmagomedov's
contract situation, claiming that the
Professional Fighters League did not offer the unbeaten
lightweight champion a new contract before the final bout of his
deal.

Usman Nurmagomedov's PFL departure creates intrigue around UFC,
Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov involvement

Nurmagomedov (22-0) completed the final fight of his PFL contract
at the promotion's July 31 event, where he scored a first-round
knockout victory over Archie
Colgan. Abdelaziz has now revealed that the promotion had the
opportunity to re-sign him ahead of
PFL New York.

“Listen, the truth of the matter is PFL had an opportunity to sign
him before the fight,†Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “And you know how
much I love PFL… They’re great people. PFL always gives an
opportunity for people and they don’t get enough credit.â€

According to Abdelaziz, Nurmagomedov chose to complete his contract
rather than negotiate a new deal before the fight.

“Usman took a risk,†the veteran manager said. “He could have went
out there and lost. Archie could have beaten him. He took a risk.
He gambled on himself and he won.â€

Abdelaziz then confirmed that PFL has a 90-day exclusive
negotiating window after Nurmagomedov's last bout, following which
they'll assess their options.

“In the next 90 days, they have an exclusive negotiation,â€
Abdelaziz added. “After that, I’m going to talk to other people and
we’ll figure it out.â€

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White previously hinted that the UFC is interested in
Nurmagomedov. However, Abdelaziz downplayed the chances of a UFC
move, claiming that negotiations and Khabib
Nurmagomedov's approval are pending.

“It's not like 100% he’s leaving and going to the UFC. It doesn’t
work like that,†Abdelaziz concluded. “It has to be a lot of
decisions. I have to negotiate, he has to like it, Khabib has to
sign off on it and this is how we work.”

This past Wednesday, McGregor announced he had successfully undergone surgery to repair a torn ACL he suffered in his comeback fight against Max Holloway this past July. That appearance marked McGregor's first fight in five years and he is currently aiming to compete again next summer in what will be the final bout on his current UFC contract.