When Jon Jones made headlines recently for reportedly wanting out of his UFC contract, it reignited a conversation that has been building momentum in combat sports circles for some time: is the UFC’s grip on its athletes too tight, and is a genuine rival finally emerging to challenge that dominance?
The Netflix MVP event appears to have answered at least part of that question. Those who attended described an atmosphere unlike anything they had experienced at a major MMA promotion. Fog machines, screens positioned throughout the venue, and a crowd buzzing with genuine excitement painted a picture of a promotion that had invested heavily in the fan experience.
Reflecting on the show, Jon Jones was full of praise for MVP’s presentation.
“I thought the MVP promotion was absolutely unbelievable,” Jones said in a recent interview. “I think it was actually better than the UFC had, I’ve never been at such a promotion.”
The energy in the building was matched by the quality of the matchmaking. Nate Diaz and Mike Perry drew significant portions of the crowd, while Francis Ngannou’s appearance against Philipe Lins added heavyweight star power to the card.
Jones stated, “They had the fog machines and TVs absolutely everywhere. Great athletes, I think half the audience came out to see Diaz win. All those guys are my personal friends, so it was bittersweet.”
But it was Ronda Rousey who stole the night, submitting Gina Carano in just 17 seconds.
“She did exactly how I thought she would do,” Jon Jones. “Her judo and her jiu-jitsu, she’s put so many years into it. The other girls still to this day are very far behind.”
According to figures released by the California State Athletic Commission, Rousey led the card’s payroll with a guaranteed purse of $2.2 million. Ngannou reportedly received $1.5 million, Carano earned $1.05 million, Diaz took home $500,000, and Perry received $400,000. Notably, every athlete on the card was guaranteed a minimum of $40,000, a detail that stood out to many observers as a signal of the promotion’s commitment to treating its athletes fairly.
However, Rousey confirmed that the publicly reported figures did not represent the full picture of her deal. “My compensation? Well, I was compensated not just for my MMA services,” she explained in the press conference after the event. “I also was promoting this event as well. So I think it’s literally on the contract that I’m not supposed to tell people, but I’m very happy and very grateful, and me and my husband are going to go house shopping in Hawaii after this.”
The promotional role was something Rousey appeared to have genuinely embraced. “One thing I realized throughout this,” she said, “man, I’m really good at promoting, and I was actually having a good time with it.”
Whether she continues in that capacity remains to be seen. “I don’t know if I can really commit to it because I don’t really know exactly what that would entail, how much they would want me to be around, how much they would want from me,” she acknowledged.
What she was more certain about was her belief in what MVP represents for the sport. “The UFC needs competition,” Rousey stated plainly. “It’s the best thing for them, and I think MVP would be the best organization for that role.”
She also expressed a hope that the promotion’s success outlasts her own involvement. She stated, “I want to help, but even if I don’t stick around, I really hope that MVP does in MMA because I think it’s important, and this event was incredible, and it breathed new life into the sport.”
The UFC appeared to feel the pressure in real time. During Ngannou’s walkout, the promotion announced a Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway rematch, a move Rousey interpreted as telling. “It’s kind of catty,” she said, “but it also shows that they see MVP MMA as a threat, that they would do it in that moment and spend, do it at that time.”
