UFC executives embrace challenge from new MVP-PFL promotion merger

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BELMONT PARK, NY - JULY 31: Jake Paul talks on the broadcast set "jp#2" during PFL New York at the UBS Arena on July 31, 2026 in Belmont Park, New York. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images It’s safe to say the UFC’s owners at TKO Group Holdings aren’t sweating the new promotion launched when Jake Paul’s MVP merged with the PFL, which will now stage both boxing and MMA events. The merger will eventually absorb the PFL into MVP, and everything will operate under the Most Valuable Promotions’ banner with plans to continue promoting separate events in each sport. UFC CEO Dana White immediately brushed off the new MVP as actual competition for the UFC, but the owners behind the company offered a slightly less combative take. TKO president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro didn’t trash the new promotion but instead welcomed them to try to carve out a slice of the combat sports industry for themselves. “I would say that clearly on an individual, standalone basis, these promotions, both MVP and PFL, were not necessarily sustainable,” Shapiro said during a financial call with investors on Monday. “Now they’ve come together, and we’ll see what they can conjure up. “What we know is that competition has always made us stronger and a rising tide lifts all boats.” Of course, Paul has already taken on a more adversarial approach with plans to go after the UFC’s overwhelming market share in the MMA business, but time will tell if he’ll be successful. For now, Paul can stand on the fact that MVP’s lone MMA show did produce monster ratings for the card headlined by Ronda Rousey on Netflix in May, and he’s already hinted at another big show planned for 2027. That includes Paul stating that he finally plans to make his MMA debut, which could serve as a major selling point for that event, especially if he ends up facing an established veteran like Nate Diaz on the card. It remains to be seen if Paul pulls the trigger on a fight like that, but obviously he’s not backing down from going after the UFC as MVP merges with PFL and embarks on an ambitious year ahead.

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The UFC owners don’t seem too concerned about the new MVP-PFL combined company