John Martin On MVP Merger Changing MMA

PFL CEO John Martin believes the merger with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions will reshape combat sports at a scale the industry has not seen before.

As MMA Fighting first reported, Martin spoke at the PFL New York post-fight press conference following the announcement that the two brands would consolidate under the MVP banner. He told reporters he had zero hesitation when Nakisa Bidarian reached out to discuss combining forces, noting he was already planning to contact Bidarian after MVP's May 16 event. The PFL chief said his promotion needed to solve two problems — lifting brand awareness and fixing U.S. distribution — and MVP offered both.

What The PFL-MVP Partnership Means For Fighter Options

Martin pointed to Paul's rare ability to command attention as a content creator, athlete, and promoter. "He is a unicorn," Martin said, per MMA Fighting. "If somebody said to me five years ago, this young man could disrupt the world of boxing, I would take the other side of that bet all day long. Look at what he's done." The merged entity will allow fighters to pursue both boxing and MMA under one roof, Martin explained, a path the UFC does not offer.

On the distribution front, Martin confirmed that six U.S. broadcasters reached out within 24 hours of the merger news. Netflix remains a possibility given MVP's existing relationship with the streamer, which has carried four of the promotion's events. Martin also said the door remains open with ESPN, which recently signed an output deal with MVP's women's boxing division. The PFL's current ESPN deal expires in 2027, when the rebranded MVP events officially launch.

Martin dismissed the idea that the PFL is a feeder league for the UFC. "We're going to be able to offer fighters a different path," he said. "Whatever is good for them, whatever is good for the promotion, we're just going to do." The next PFL event takes place in November, with the MVP rebrand scheduled to roll out throughout 2027.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — PFL CEO John Martin on MVP MMA merger: ‘Together, we can really accelerate and fundamentally change this sport’