MVP MMA 1 debuts with star power at Intuit Dome
Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano headline the inaugural event, streamed live on Netflix, as the organisation attempts to establish itself as a viable player in the mixed martial arts landscape.
MVP MMA 1 took place on Saturday, 16 May 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, marking the debut of the promotion led by Jake Paul and associates. The event was streamed live on Netflix, aiming to leverage significant name recognition to establish the new organisation as a credible contender in the global mixed martial arts market. The headline bout featured Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, two pioneers of women’s MMA, competing in a 145 lbs contest.
The pairing of Rousey and Carano was central to the event’s strategy, with both fighters returning after lengthy layoffs. Rousey had not competed in a decade, while Carano had been absent from the sport for 17 years. Their participation was viewed as an attempt to jump-start the promotion’s viability for years to come, relying on their respective name values to draw millions of viewers to the broadcast.
The co-main event featured a 170 lbs bout between former UFC castaways Nate Diaz and Mike Perry. This matchup was described as the “people’s main event,” with expectations of significant engagement due to the fighters’ backgrounds and the nature of the welterweight division.
Former UFC Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also featured on the card, competing against Philipe Lins in a 265 lbs bout. This contest marked Ngannou’s first MMA fight in 19 months, adding further high-profile weight to the inaugural card.
The remainder of the card included several other bouts with confirmed results. Jason Jackson defeated Jeff Creighton via first-round knockout in a 170 lbs fight. David Mgoyan won against Albert Morales via unanimous decision in a 130 lbs bout, while Aline Pereira secured a split-decision victory over Jade Masson-Wong in the same weight class. Brandon Jenkins also won via split decision against Chris Avila in a 165 lbs contest. Other scheduled fights included Salahdine Parnasse vs Kenny Cross (155 lbs), Junior dos Santos vs Robelis Despaigne (265 lbs), Namo Fazil vs Jake Babian (170 lbs), and Adriano Moraes vs Phumi Nkuta (125 lbs).
