Jake Paul has laid out his vision for MVP MMA’s future in the sport, and it is built around one core idea: paying fighters what the UFC will not.
Speaking in a recent interview with Complex, Paul framed MVP MMA’s entry into the MMA landscape as a structural disruption that benefits fighters and fans equally, drawing a difference between what the UFC offers and what he believes is possible elsewhere.
“It’s needed. It’s very, very needed in the sport. I think it’s been a monopoly for so long, run by the UFC, and the fighters haven’t had another place to go where they get the exposure and more pay. And so MVP MMA is providing that with some of the biggest names, and obviously, the biggest streaming platform. So, it’s really a monumental shift in the timeline for MMA fighters, and for MMA fans. Because we want to provide the best and the biggest fights, and go head-to-head with the big dogs. It’s just a very exciting time for everyone because of that.”
When asked about his ambitions for the roster, Paul was direct about his intentions toward UFC talent.
“I think we just poach all of them, honestly. Get the fighters what they deserve to be paid, similar to boxing. That’s why a lot of the UFC guys want to box, because they can get 10, 15, 20 million dollars for a fight versus $1.5 million for being the champion.”
He pointed to Francis Ngannou as the model he hopes other fighters will follow.
“Hopefully, UFC fighters can start to follow the path of Francis Ngannou, where he fought his way out of his contract, and went on to do multiple boxing matches for 20, 30, 40 million dollars. Now he’s fighting for MVP MMA, making more than the whole UFC roster combined. So, hopefully, fighters can realize they need to fight their way out of their UFC contract and then find more lucrative opportunities elsewhere, with the same or more amount of viewership. Because I think the reason they’ve wanted to stay is, ‘OK, the pay is not good, but this is the best place to become famous.’ And it’s like, no, not anymore.”
MVP MMA’s debut card takes place May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Netflix, headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano, with Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz also on the card.