Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is gearing up for a historic weekend that's set to shake up the MMA world. This Saturday, May 16, the highly anticipated return of Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano headlines MVP's first-ever MMA event, live from Los Angeles' Intuit Dome and streaming on Netflix. But beyond the star power, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian is making waves with a fighter pay structure that could redefine the sport.
In an exclusive interview on "The Ariel Helwani Show," Bidarian revealed that every fighter on the card will earn a guaranteed minimum of $40,000—a significant jump from the UFC's typical $12,000 show and $12,000 win structure. Unlike the UFC's performance-based model, MVP is offering flat-rate purses, ensuring fighters know exactly what they're taking home before stepping into the cage. But that's not all: each athlete will also have access to performance bonuses, with a "Fight of the Night" award still to be announced.
"That's guaranteed, and then every fighter has a performance bonus in addition to that, which there are different levels depending on the fighter," Bidarian explained. "We will have a Fight of the Night. Jake and I need to kind of discuss it, and we'll announce it at the right time. But every fighter does have a performance bonus incentive."
The financial commitment doesn't stop there. Bidarian also highlighted that MVP's revenue share model is a game-changer, with fighters receiving "much higher than 50%" of the event's revenue. For context, the UFC typically pays its athletes between 16-20% of company revenue. This approach reflects MVP's philosophy of prioritizing athlete compensation over corporate profits.
"Our objective is not to lose money and obviously make a little bit of money, but it's really about putting the money back into the pockets of the fighters," Bidarian said. "They're the ones risking their lives. They're the ones people are paying to see, and we feel like we've lived up to that to this point, and we're going to continue to live up to that."
For fans and athletes alike, this Saturday's event isn't just about the return of two legends—it's a potential turning point for fighter compensation in MMA. Whether you're gearing up for the fights or just following the business side of combat sports, one thing is clear: MVP is betting big on its fighters, and the payout could be historic.