The MVP and PFL promotions have announced a merger that will see them operate under the MVP banner going forward.

The newly bolstered company aims to be a major player in the world of sports and entertainment with plans for boxing and MMA events alongside media, athlete development and worldwide content distribution.

“Since launching MVP, our goal has always been bigger than just building a boxing promotion,” MVP co-founder Dan Bidarian said. “It has been to build the future of combat sports. In less than five years, MVP has become one of the most influential and culturally relevant brands in the industry, producing some of the biggest events in combat sports history, elevating women’s boxing to unprecedented heights, and bringing millions of new fans into the fight game.

“The success of MVP MMA’s first event confirmed our belief that there is enormous demand for a modern, fighter-first approach to MMA. This merger accelerates our MMA ambitions while strengthening our ability to continue investing in boxing and MVPW. By combining MVP’s audience-building engine, storytelling capabilities, and brand with PFL’s roster, infrastructure, and international footprint, we are creating a new global home for combat sports. Under the leadership of John Martin, a world-class media executive with deep MMA knowledge, and investment from leading financiers 885 Capital and Knighthead Capital, MVP is going to achieve great things for fighters, fans, and partners.”

MVP’s other co-owner is of course Jake Paul, whose own boxing fights have been a major part of the brand since he fought former MMA fighter Tyron Woodley in the ring in their first ever event back in 2021.

The brand has expanded since then and went on to undertake it’s first MMA event back in May headlined by Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, which aired live on Netflix.

Now MVP are expanding further by merging with PFL, an MMA promotion who launched in 2018 running $1 million tournaments in multiple weight-classes, and also acquired Bellator in 2023.

With the merger now official, Paul says he’s excited to continue to build the company and make his own debut in MVP MMA at some stage in the future.

“We started MVP to disrupt a broken model,” Paul said. “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. We now have a scaled platform to give today’s fans what they want: elite talent mixed with culture, lifestyle, and massive social velocity. MVP was always bigger than me and bigger than any one fighter. MVP is an inevitable movement that needs to happen for the athletes, and now we have all the resources we need to build something that changes this sport forever.

“I have more conviction in MVP than ever, driven by the proliferation of AI, which will only increase the value of real, live experiences and the sports properties that can bring fans closer to the athletes they love. I look forward to putting my entire promotional muscle into our new company, returning to the boxing ring and making my MVP MMA debut. To all current MVP and PFL fighters, things just got bigger. To fighters fighting in other organizations, we are open for business when you are contractually free. The time for change is now. Welcome to MVP.”

Meanwhile, PFL CEO John Martin, who will now serve as MVP’s new CEO, also gave his thoughts on the merger.

“Over the past seven years, PFL has built the world’s No. 2 global MMA company, assembling one of the sport’s most elite fighter rosters while creating a world-class global business with premier media distribution across 34 broadcast and streaming partners, reaching fans in more than 170 countries,” Martin said. “At the same time, MVP has redefined how combat sports connects with a new generation of fans, creating events that become cultural moments and proving that athletes, sports, entertainment and creators can all thrive together. 

“This merger brings scale – in operations, in distribution and media rights, in sponsorship, in fighter development and in fan engagement.  We’re not just combining companies, we’re bringing an entire combat sports community together and creating a more powerful platform to accelerate growth. One company, one global stage, millions of fans and we’re only just getting started.”