Rousey Retires, Ngannou Calls Out Jones at MVP MMA Debut

Jake Paul’s inaugural mixed martial arts promotion, MVP MMA, staged its debut event, MVP MMA 1, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Saturday, 16 May 2026. The card featured high-profile matchups, headlined by Ronda Rousey’s victory over Gina Carano via a 17-second armbar submission in the women’s Featherweight division. Rousey announced her retirement from active competition but indicated interest in a promotional role akin to UFC President Dana White.

The co-main event saw Mike Perry defeat Nate Diaz by technical knockout after ten minutes of dominance. Perry, who has a prior relationship with BKFC and has previously boxed against Paul, established a working partnership with the promoter during the event. The bout underscored the competitive intensity of the new promotion, with Perry controlling the fight before his corner intervened.

Other significant bouts included Francis Ngannou defeating Philipe Lins, Salahdine Parnasse knocking out Kenneth Cross in the first round, and Youssef Despaigne securing a first-round victory over Junior dos Santos. Parnasse, making his stateside MMA debut, extended his winning streak to five fights and improved to 10 wins in his last 11 bouts.

Following his victory, Ngannou called out Jon Jones for a fight. Jones acknowledged the call-out and stated he would like to leave the UFC to make it happen, though this faces significant contractual hurdles. Ngannou also indicated openness to a boxing match against Deontay Wilder, suggesting multiple pathways for his next engagement outside the MVP framework.

Despaigne, who defeated dos Santos, plans to compete in both MMA and Karate Combat, where he holds a 7-0 record. He expressed a desire to fight Ngannou, though Ngannou downplayed the prospect at the post-fight presser. Parnasse also called out Mike Perry for a future bout, which would require Perry to move up to Welterweight, highlighting the potential for future matchmaking within the promotion.