Jake Paul and PFL announce merger to challenge UFC dominance

Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian have merged their company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), creating a new combat sports entity. Announced on July 30, 2026, the merged brand aims to leverage the combined rosters and could potentially reshape the MMA as a significant competitor to the UFC. Current PFL CEO John Martin will become the CEO of MVP MMA, while MVP continues its boxing efforts. Separate event schedules will persist until a brand migration is completed by early 2027., the merger will have backing from PFL shareholders to strengthen financial support and attract fighters with competitive compensation.

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