Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is merging with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), bringing the MMA promotion under MVP’s umbrella and creating a single combat sports company spanning boxing and mixed martial arts.

As reported by ESPN, the deal marks MVP’s formal entry into MMA ownership after the company’s first MMA event in May, a Netflix card headlined by the returns of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. That event drew 12.4 million viewers, according to figures MVP released, with viewership peaking at 17 million during Rousey’s 17-second armbar win over Carano.

PFL, launched in 2018, has positioned itself as the top MMA promotion outside the UFC, a status reinforced by its 2023 acquisition of Bellator MMA. Its roster includes Dakota Ditcheva, Usman Nurmagomedov, AJ McKee and Johnny Eblen, and its events reach more than 170 countries through 34 broadcast and streaming partners. John Martin, who joined PFL as CEO in 2025, will remain in that role and stay on the board under the merged structure.

“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said in a news release. “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.”

Martin framed the combination as complementary rather than absorptive: “This merger brings scale in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement.” MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian called it confirmation “that there is enormous demand for a modern, fighter-first approach to MMA.”

As part of the deal, existing PFL shareholders 885 Capital and affiliated entities of Knighthead Capital Management are putting in new capital.

The PFL merger lands one day after MVP announced a separate “strategic alliance” with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing to jointly develop women’s boxing talent, rather than compete for the same fighters. That deal pairs MVP’s women’s roster, which includes six of ESPN’s top 10 pound-for-pound fighters, with Matchroom’s stable led by undisputed champion Katie Taylor. The two companies have already collaborated on the three Taylor-Serrano fights, including a Madison Square Garden card that sold out at over 19,000 attendees and grossed a $2.63 million gate.

Paul, who has not fought since a December knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, said he intends to box again this year before making his MMA debut in 2027. “It’s really just down to negotiations behind the scenes,” he said.

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