Jake Paul‘s pivot from YouTube personality to boxing promoter has been one of the more remarkable careers in combat sports, and now the 29-year-old has a new target on the horizon: mixed martial arts. The vehicle for that ambition is already built, with Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions merging with the PFL in a landmark deal set to reshape the MMA landscape by 2027.
Competing in MMA requires a very different set of tools than boxing, and Paul appears to be taking that reality seriously. MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian revealed that conversations have already begun with one of the sport’s most legendary figures.
“We were talking to Royce Gracie last night about him and his family becoming a part of his jiu-jitsu training,” Bidarian told The New York Post.
Royce Gracie is not just any trainer. A UFC Hall of Famer and Brazilian jiu-jitsu icon, Gracie won three of the earliest UFC tournaments, capturing titles at UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4, routinely defeating opponents who outweighed him by more than 40 lbs (18 kg). His family has remained deeply embedded in the sport.
For Paul, who has no professional MMA experience, access to that level of instruction on the ground game would represent a meaningful advantage. Bidarian was unequivocal about Paul’s approach whenever he commits to something new.
“When Jake Paul decides to do something, he is fully committed, and he will be very professional in how he approaches it,” Bidarian said.
Paul does bring some credentials to the table. He competed in Division I high school wrestling in Ohio and has been vocal about what he believes that background means for his prospects in MMA. During a Bloomberg Television interview, he offered a pointed assessment of grappling in the sport.
“I have a wrestling background. Division 1. When I see these MMA athletes wrestling, I’m actually embarrassed for them,” Paul said. “They wouldn’t last a minute in Ohio Division 1 high school wrestling.”
PFL CEO John Martin has made clear that the promotion’s doors are open for Paul to compete as an MMA athlete whenever he is ready.
“Yes, if he’s willing to do that. I think that would be fantastic,” Martin said.
Paul’s MMA plans are currently paused while he recovers from a jaw injury sustained in his most recent boxing bout, with a potential debut in the cage expected sometime in 2027. That timeline would align with the planned rebranding of PFL into “MVP MMA,” the new banner under which the merged organization intends to operate.
On the subject of a first opponent, Bidarian has repeatedly pointed toward Nate Diaz, now 41 years old and a third-degree black belt under Cesar Gracie. Diaz previously appeared on the first MVP MMA event and carries 20 wins inside the UFC octagon, making him a compelling draw for fans already familiar with both men.
Martin has described the combined MVP-PFL organization as “clearly the number two platform within the combat space,” with open ambitions of challenging the UFC’s long-standing position at the top of the market.
