The battle lines for the future of mixed martial arts have been drawn in the sand, and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) co-founder Nakisa Bidarian is not holding back. Just days after announcing a blockbuster merger with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the former UFC Chief Financial Officer took direct aim at his old employer, UFC CEO Dana White, labeling his treatment of athletes as irreverent.

Speaking to TMZ Sports on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, Bidarian laid out his sweeping vision for what will soon be MVP MMA. The merger, slated to officially complete in 2027, will see the PFL and MVP operate under a unified banner with a very specific mandate: a fighter-first platform that explicitly prioritizes the athletes and the fans over the promotion's corporate IP.

“The opportunity is very clear,” Bidarian stated. “More and more you’re seeing that the incumbent within the space doesn’t prioritize building fighter IP, but prioritizes the company’s IP, which is great business, but don’t get me wrong, you have to make fighters feel like they’re the priority.”

Taking Shots at the Zuffa Empire

While Bidarian has historically kept his critiques of the UFC respectful, his tone shifted as he prepares to challenge the global MMA paradigm. He pointed to a recent exchange where a reporter asked White which fight he was most excited about, to which the UFC CEO reportedly snapped, “That’s a stupid question. Of course, the main event.”

“That’s the irreverence of what that has become in terms of fighters and the product,” Bidarian noted, contrasting the UFC's corporate-first approach with MVP's promise to give athletes “the vast majority” of the revenue generated from their events.

The 'Coke vs. Pepsi' of Combat Sports

MVP, which skyrocketed to prominence through influencer boxing and historic women's boxing events featuring Jake Paul, Katie Taylor, and Amanda Serrano, is now leveraging that promotional acumen to upend MMA's financial hierarchy. Bidarian acknowledged the UFC's 30-year head start but reminded critics that MVP has already put on the biggest event in U.S. combat sports history.

“There’s Nike and Adidas. There’s Coke and Pepsi. We want it to be UFC and MVP,” Bidarian declared. “We’re not fooling ourselves to say we’re going to be the reference brand for the sport in the next year or two, but give us a little bit of time. Let our expertise in Gen Z and Gen Alpha continue to show you how we differentiate.”

Official Word from the MMA Desk

Morning Report | Nakida Bidarian takes shots at Dana White's 'irreverence' towards fighters, lays out his vision for MVP MMA mmafighting.com

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 6, 2026

Further reading: Read the full breakdown of the MVP-PFL merger and Bidarian's quotes at MMA Fighting.