A New Benchmark for MMA Broadcasts

The recent mixed martial arts debut from Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), hosted at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, has achieved historic success. The event, anchored by the long-awaited return of combat sports pioneers Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, has officially set the record for the most-watched MMA broadcast in the history of the United States.


According to official data released by Netflix and MVP, the event drew an average of 12.4 million global viewers, with a peak audience reaching 17 million. Within the U.S. market, the numbers were equally impressive, averaging 9.3 million viewers and hitting a high of 11.6 million. This performance significantly surpassed the previous record held since 2011, when UFC on FOX 1 peaked at 8.8 million viewers.


Strategic Success and Future Expansion

Beyond television ratings, the event demonstrated significant commercial momentum. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian noted that the production generated over 410 million social media impressions and secured a live gate revenue exceeding $2.2 million. Additionally, the event saw widespread distribution across commercial venues including casinos, restaurants, and bars.


«We’ve received an overwhelming amount of interest from investors, strategic partners, and fighters who want to be involved with MVP and the future of MVP MMA. We are currently reviewing all strategic options to do something very meaningful within MMA on a go-forward basis with a distribution partner like Netflix that shares our vision to create lasting impact,» stated Bidarian.

Highlights from the Fight Card

The headline bout saw Ronda Rousey return to the cage after a nine-year hiatus. The 39-year-old secured a victory against Gina Carano—who had been away from competition for 17 years—in just 17 seconds via her signature armbar submission.


The undercard featured several high-profile clashes:

  • Mike Perry vs. Nate Diaz: Perry secured a win via doctor’s stoppage following the second round, following a dominant performance that left Diaz unable to continue.
  • Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins: Former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou marked his return to the cage with a decisive first-round knockout victory over Philipe Lins.