MVP Targeting Number Two MMA Promotion

MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has confirmed the promotion is fully committed to MMA following the success of MVP MMA 1, and has laid out a vision that extends to becoming the sport's second most significant promotion behind the UFC.

"One hundred percent, MVP is in the MMA business. There is a clear opportunity to create an alternative avenue for fighters that truly represents the best of the sport and is fighters first. Our hope is that's with our partners at Netflix,” Bidarian

The numbers from MVP MMA 1 give those ambitions a foundation. The card peaked at 17 million viewers on Netflix and drew 15,795 in attendance at the Intuit Dome — figures that, for a promotion's debut event, are difficult to dismiss.

The card reached number one on Netflix in the United States, Canada and Mexico despite being filed under the movies category rather than sport, and aired late on the East Coast. Bidarian was direct about why he sees MMA as a more viable space to compete in than boxing.

"Boxing is more difficult to own than MMA. UFC is obviously the reference brand. They're going to be that for many years to come. But there's no true number two player. Boxing, there's six or seven of us putting on premium big events every single week. So, do I think we can come and take a real share within the MMA sphere? Yes."

The broadcast strategy extends beyond Netflix. Bidarian identified Amazon, Fox, and ESPN as platforms that would have genuine interest once MVP presents its full package — suggesting the promotion is already thinking about how to build a broadcasting infrastructure rather than remaining dependent on a single platform relationship.

The Aim

The UFC has faced persistent criticism from fighters about pay and contract terms, and positioning MVP as an alternative avenue that prioritises fighters is a deliberate attempt to make the promotion attractive to talent that might otherwise have no option but to sign with the market leader.

“Do I believe we can convince Netflix to do it on a more regular basis than they've shown to do so with boxing? If we have the product and we show them the path of how this can work and set expectations appropriately, and ask for the right amount of rights fees that are appropriate for that, my hope is that the answer is yes. But I will say that there's Amazon, Fox, ESPN. There's definitely other outlets that, once we present them this whole package, will have interest in what we're doing,” Bidarian added