MVP Pushes $40,000 MMA Minimum Pay as Bidarian Challenges UFC's 12-and-12 Model
Updated
Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 17
MVP Pushes $40,000 MMA Minimum Pay as Bidarian Challenges UFC's 12-and-12 Model
1 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · May 17
MVP used its Netflix MMA debut in Los Angeles to set a $40,000 minimum base purse and award finish bonuses to every fighter who ended a bout inside the distance.
Nakisa Bidarian said that floor should be standard at the sport’s top level, contrasting it with UFC’s $12,000 to show and $12,000 to win structure.
Jake Paul tied the pay push to fighter freedom, saying Jon Jones is upset he remains stuck in his UFC contract and cannot pursue a blockbuster bout with Francis Ngannou.
Bidarian said a Jones-Ngannou fight under MVP is not realistic while Jones is under UFC control, though he argued co-promotion would benefit fighters, fans and the wider MMA business.
Is MVP's high-pay model a true revolution for MMA, or is it an unsustainable business strategy?
With Jon Jones contract-bound, can any promotion truly break the UFC's monopoly on MMA's biggest dream fights?