The inaugural MVP MMA event, a groundbreaking collaboration between Jake Paul, Nakisa Bedarian, and Netflix, marked a historic moment for mixed martial arts. Held at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the event featured 22 fighters, with an impressive eight bouts concluding by finish. The preliminary card, broadcast on YouTube, captivated over 350,000 viewers, and the arena was nearly at full capacity.
The preliminary bouts delivered exciting moments, though some contentious scorecards emerged. Early on, two of the first three fights went to a split decision. However, Jason Jackson (20-6) stole the show with a lightning-fast 22-second knockout of Jeff Creighton (12-3-1). Namo Fazil (10-1) closed out the prelims with a second-round submission over Jake Babian (6-2). Fazil’s social media presence has exploded, garnering millions of views and signaling his potential as a global star. The preliminary card wasn’t without controversy; the submission victory of Adriano Moraes over Phumi Nkuta was declared despite Moraes maintaining the hold for several seconds after the final bell, prompting Nkuta’s team to file an appeal.
The main card was a spectacle of finishes, with every fight ending before the judges’ scorecards were needed. Salahdine Parnasse showcased his world-class skills by dismantling Kenny Cross, solidifying his reputation among knowledgeable MMA fans. Heavyweight power was on full display as Francis Ngannou and Robelis Despaigne delivered devastating knockouts. In the co-main event, Mike Perry secured a doctor’s stoppage victory over Nate Diaz, much to the disappointment of the 209 faithful. Ronda Rousey also made a triumphant return to the cage, submitting Gina Carano with an armbar in the first round. Francis Ngannou and Phumi Nkuta/Adriano Moraes were awarded Fight of the Night bonuses, with Ngannou earning $100,000 and the other two receiving $50,000 each.
Full Results
- Brandon Jenkins (17-11) def. Chris Avila (8-10) by Split Decision
- Aline Pereira (3-2) def. Jade Masson-Wong (3-3) by Split Decision
- David Mgoyan (9-1) def. Albert Morales (19-11-1) by Unanimous Decision
- Jason Jackson (20-6) def. Jeff Creighton (12-3-1) by KO (punch) at 0:22 of Round 1
- Adriano Moraes (22-6) def. Phumi Nkuta (11-1) by Submission (RNC) at 4:59 of Round 3
- Namo Fazil (10-1) def. Jake Babian (6-2) by Submission (D’arce Choke) at 0:58 of Round 2
- Robelis Despaigne (6-2) def. Junior Dos Santos (21-11) by KO (punches) at 2:59 of Round 1
- Salahdine Parnasse (23-2) def. Kenneth Cross (17-5) by KO (body hook) at 4:18 of Round 1
- Francis Ngannou (19-3) def. Phillipe Lins (18-6) by KO (Hook) at 4:31 of Round 1
- Mike Perry (15-8) def. Nate Diaz (21-14) by Stoppage (cut) after Round 2
- Ronda Rousey (13-2) def. Gina Carano (7-2) by Submission (Armbar) at 0:17 of Round 1
Future Matchups and Expansion
Following their respective victories, Jake Paul engaged with both Francis Ngannou and Mike Perry, hinting at potential future matchups. While Paul expressed more openness to a rematch with Perry in the boxing ring, Nakisa Bedarian confirmed that Paul will be entering the cage in upcoming MVP MMA events.
The success of MVP MMA 1 has paved the way for future events. Bedarian announced that the promotion plans to host multiple events in various locations, with Sacramento and France being potential destinations. MVP MMA is actively building its internal infrastructure to establish a strong presence in the mixed martial arts landscape.
English Translation:
MVP MMA 1: A Resounding Success
On Saturday, May 16th, MVP Promotions, led by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bedarian, hosted an MMA event on Netflix for the first time in history. 22 fighters competed at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, with the final eight bouts of the card ending by finish. Viewership for the prelims, aired on YouTube, peaked at over 350,000 viewers, and the arena was nearly a sell-out.
The preliminary card featured some interesting scorecards early on, with two of the first three fights going to a split decision. Jason Jackson (20-6) stole the show on the prelims with a 22-second knockout of Jeff Creighton (12-3-1), and Namo Fazil (10-1) finished the prelims with a second-round submission over Jake Babian (6-2). Namo Fazil was the star of the week on social media, racking up millions of views and demonstrating his potential as a global star. The prelims weren’t without controversy, with the Phumi Nkuta vs. Adriano Moraes fight being declared a submission despite Moraes holding the choke for nearly four seconds after the final bell. Nkuta’s team has already filed an appeal over the result.
On the main card, every single fight ended before the judges could get involved. Most notably, Salahdine Parnasse displayed his world-class ability in his dismantling of Kenny Cross. For years, knowledgeable MMA fans have referred to Parnasse as one of the best in the world, and he proved it tonight against a tough opponent in Cross. Francis Ngannou and Robelis Despaigne displayed the true meaning of heavyweight power with devastating KOs over their respective opponents. Mike Perry sent the 209 faithful home disappointed as he sliced and diced his way to a doctor’s stoppage win in the co-main event, and Ronda Rousey returned to the cage in classic form with a first-round submission over Gina Carano. Francis Ngannou scored a $100k bonus, and Phumi Nkuta and Adriano Moraes both earned an extra $50k for fight of the night.
Full Results
Brandon Jenkins (17-11) def. Chris Avila (8-10) by Split Decision
Aline Pereira (3-2) def. Jade Masson-Wong (3-3) by Split Decision
David Mgoyan (9-1) defeats Albert Morales (19-11-1) by Unanimous Decision
Jason Jackson (20-6) def. Jeff Creighton (12-3-1) by KO (punch) 22 seconds into the first round
Adriano Moraes (22-6) def. Phumi Nkuta (11-1) by Submission (RNC) 4:59 into the third round
Namo Fazil (10-1) def. Jake Babian (6-2) by Submission (D’arce Choke) :58 into the second round
Robelis Despaigne (6-2) def. Junior Dos Santos (21-11) by KO (punches) 2:59 into the first round
Salahdine Parnasse (23-2) def. Kenneth Cross (17-5) by KO (body hook) 4:18 into the first round
Francis Ngannou (19-3) def. Phillipe Lins (18-6) by KO (Hook) 4:31 into the first round
Mike Perry (15-8) def. Nate Diaz (21-14) by Stoppage (cut) after the second round
Ronda Rousey (13-2) def. Gina Carano (7-2) by Submission (Armbar) :17 into the first round
Jon Jones vs Francis? Mike Perry vs Jake Paul?
The event was promoted by Nakisa Bedarian and, of course, Jake Paul, who jawed with both Francis Ngannou and Mike Perry after their respective wins. Jake was far more open to the idea of facing Mike Perry rather than Francis, with Jake Paul already holding a win over Mike Perry in the boxing ring. Regardless, Nakisa Bedarian confirmed that Jake Paul will be entering the cage in the near future.
Will MVP MMA Host Another Event?
MMA MVP will have more events, as confirmed by Nakisa Bedarian after the event at the post-fight press conference. He mentioned multiple potential events, including Sacramento and France as potential locations. MVP is currently building out the interior infrastructure for the promotion to continue in the MMA space.
