Jake Paul’s new MVP MMA card is getting major respect from both fans and experts. While the 29-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer is always in the spotlight, he is now genuinely winning over the UFC fans. The MVP MMA card is completely stacked, especially with the main event being the long-awaited dream fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano. However, it is the fight Paul is picking with the UFC’s pay structure itself that is slowly grabbing the headlines.

Recently, according to veteran journalist Damon Martin, Jake Paul was recognized for handling fight contracts better than Dana White & Co. 

“Just spoke to Kenny Cross, who fights Salahdine Parnasse on the Rousey vs. Carano card. He praised MVP not only for a great financial offer but he said they are paying him a flat fee — no show and win bonus. Not sure if that’s across the board but great to hear.”

This development, in turn, benefits MMA prospects outside the UFC. Jake Paul consistently advocates for fair fighter pay. Moreover, his promotions focus on fighters, understanding the risks athletes take with their health and careers. Over the years, Paul has repeatedly clashed with Dana White, criticizing the UFC for underpaying fighters. He demands a minimum guaranteed pay so athletes don’t have to juggle second jobs.

Even though UFC is a billion-dollar powerhouse, many fighters still struggle. For example, former flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja worked as a delivery driver for Uber Eats while climbing the UFC rankings. Before fighting Brandon Royval in 2021 and winning the flyweight title in 2023, he struggled financially. 

“When my family was back, the money was short, and my wife started to clean houses, and I started to drive Uber,” said Pantoja on The MMA Hour in 2023. “I’d do this again if I need… This is about my kids, my two boys.”

Consequently, this ongoing tension between Dana White and Jake Paul has often flared, with Paul once calling White a “capitalist.”

The dispute over fighter pay between Dana White and Jake Paul never fully cooled. Recently, some of White’s closest and most high-profile fighters, including Ronda Rousey and Nate Diaz, expressed support for Paul’s promotion. At the MVP press conference this month, Rousey revealed that she had been in talks with the UFC to return to the Octagon and face Gina Carano.

However, after the UFC abandoned its PPV system and launched a partnership with Paramount+, Rousey lost interest because the deal no longer offered lucrative pay. As a result, she made it clear that Dana White could not guarantee the same payday under a new agreement.

Similarly, Nate Diaz explored his options. Recently, veteran American journalist Ariel Helwani reported that the UFC had expressed interest in bringing Diaz back, but the effort was unsuccessful. Instead, Diaz chose to fight on Jake Paul’s MVP card, which now not only supports big-name fighters but also provides opportunities for regional talents like Salahdine Parnasse and Kenny Cross.

Both fighters compete on the featherweight card. Previously, Cross could not secure a UFC contract despite a strong performance on DWCS, while Parnasse declined a UFC offer because of low pay.

Ronda Rousey calls out Dana White & Co. on fighter pay following Paramount+ deal

This year, UFC finally decided to ditch the old and expensive pay-per-view model. By joining hands with Paramount+, fans can now pay just a monthly or yearly streaming subscription and catch all the fights.

Because of this, huge stars like Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey are definitely feeling the impact. Fighters like McGregor and Rousey made most of their fortune through a percentage of the PPV buys. However, now the landscape has completely changed.

At the MVP press conference, Rousey openly criticized the UFC, aiming for their champion, Valentina Shevchenko.

“It used to be that the UFC was the best place that you could come in combat sports to make a living and be paid fairly. And now it’s no longer..,” Rousey said. “It’s why so many of their top athletes are leaving to go and find pay elsewhere. It’s why their champions like Valentina are selling pictures of their t—–s on OnlyFans.”

Now, with rivals like MVP actively challenging the UFC, how do you see MVP shaping the future of MMA? Share your thoughts below.