MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian says the promotion is fully committed to staying in MMA following the success of their Netflix debut, and believes there is a real opportunity to become the sport’s number two promotion.
Speaking to Uncrowned, Bidarian laid out the vision for what comes next.
“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. We’ve been very fortunate with the outreach we’ve gotten around what we did and what we accomplished and what we delivered.”
Bidarian explained why he sees MMA as a better 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 No. 2 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. 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.”
MVP MMA 1 peaked at 17 million viewers on Netflix and drew a live attendance of 15,795 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
