Matt Brown: Jake Paul, MVP MMA trying to get into a ‘d*ck-swinging’ contest with UFC and ‘you don’t have a chance’

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) have merged to form a combat sports conglomerate aiming to promote both MMA and boxing. MVP co-founder Jake Paul has made clear the new venture intends to challenge the UFC's dominance in the sport, criticizing the organization's fighter contracts and pay structures. However, retired UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes such ambitions are misguided.

Brown acknowledged the merger as strategically sound but warned that the combined entity will struggle to meaningfully compete with the UFC, which operates with a $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount and financial resources no rival can match. UFC president Dana White has already dismissed the threat, stating the organization competes with major professional sports leagues like the NFL and NBA rather than other combat promotions.

Brown used blunt language to describe MVP and PFL's strategy, calling it a "dick-swinging contest" they cannot win. He noted that fighters overwhelmingly view the UFC as the gold standard—the ultimate destination where they can test themselves against the best competition. This cultural perception, built over three decades, gives the UFC an inherent advantage in attracting talent regardless of financial offers from rivals.

Rather than attempting direct competition, Brown suggested MVP follow the model of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), which carved out its own niche without threatening the UFC. He acknowledged Jake Paul will generate publicity and attention but cautioned that pursuing an MMA strategy may not be the path to sustainable success. The broader challenge facing MVP: the UFC's brand recognition and fighter allegiance are not easily displaced by money or ambition alone.