Jake Paul suggests the UFC decided against direct competition with his promotion’s inaugural MMA event airing on Netflix this Saturday, believing they would be unable to match its appeal. He cited the impressive roster of fighters featured on the MVP card as the reason for the UFC’s decision.
The MVP event boasts a significant lineup, with Ronda Rousey facing Gina Carano in a featherweight main event, scheduled for five five-minute rounds using four-ounce gloves within a cage. The broadcast begins with preliminary bouts at 6 p.m. ET on Tudum and YouTube, followed by the main card live on Netflix at 9 p.m. ET from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.
Other featured fights include Nate Diaz versus Mike Perry in a welterweight bout and Francis Ngannou facing Philipe Lins in a heavyweight clash. The undercard also features exciting matchups such as Salahdine Parnasse against Kenneth Cross at lightweight, Junior dos Santos versus Robelis Despaigne in the heavyweight division, and bouts involving Jason Jackson and Aline Pereira.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show, Paul highlighted that the UFC was scheduled to hold a Fight Night on the same day, May 16, headlined by Arnold Allen against Melquizael Costa at the Apex in Las Vegas. Paul asserted that competing with the MVP show on Netflix would be undesirable and, in his opinion, not feasible for the UFC.
He drew a parallel to past instances where competing promotions aired major fights simultaneously, such as EliteXC featuring Fedor Emelianenko on CBS against Brett Rogers while the UFC broadcasted UFC 101 on Spike TV. Paul views the MVP’s Netflix venture as a significant move into MMA, following their boxing events. He also noted that the UFC previously used Spike TV to counterprogram the first Affliction event by airing Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin.
The UFC proceeded with its scheduled Fight Night on May 16 at the Apex, featuring matchups like Choi Doo-ho against Daniel Santos and Ketlen Vieira versus Jacqueline Cavalcanti. UFC president Dana White has previously downplayed MVP’s events, stating he was unaware of them. Paul believes White is currently disengaged, focusing on his own life as a billionaire. As of now, there has been no official response from the UFC to Paul’s recent comments.
Rousey, a former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, has openly criticized the UFC’s fighter pay. Carano was a pioneer of women’s MMA before transitioning to acting. This event marks Netflix’s first live MMA broadcast, contrasting with the UFC’s existing deal with Paramount+. Paul has consistently criticized the UFC’s fighter pay and matchmaking practices in public forums.