MVP's Nakisa Bidarian On Rousey-Carano Viewership, Shields' Ban And PFL Co-Promotion

InnovationGamingMVP's Nakisa Bidarian On Rousey-Carano Viewership, Shields' Ban And PFL Co-PromotionByBrian Mazique,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Brian Mazique has covered combat sports and video games since 2011.Follow AuthorMay 22, 2026, 03:07am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 19: Nakisa Bidarian speaks after Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua at Kaseya Center on December 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images for Netflix)Getty Images for NetflixMVP Promotions is determined to be a player in combat sports — in boxing and MMA. Led by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, MVP has proven to be aggressive and creative in their attempts to carve a piece of the pie across the combat sports landscape.I had an opportunity to sit down with Bidarian on Thursday to discuss MVP MMA 1, a potential co-promotion with The Professional Fighters League and the post-event altercation between Claressa Shields and Alycia Baumgardner.You can watch the full interview here.Who: Nakisa Bidarian, MVP co-founderEvent Discussed: MVP MMA 1 (Rousey vs. Carano), NetflixViewership: ~17 million global peak, 12.4M global average, 9.3M U.S. averageProjection: Bidarian and Jake Paul had targeted a 20 million peakCo-Promotion: Open to PFL, RIZIN, ONE Championship, and KSWShields Ban: Stands; MVP remains open to working with her if "fences" mendWhat Did the MVP MMA 1 Viewership Numbers Show?As I reported earlier in the week, per Netflix and MVP, Ronda Rousey's 17-second demolition of Gina Carano peaked at 17 million viewers on Netflix. According to Bidarian, the American viewership carried the most weight.MORE FOR YOUHe explained that global comparisons are tricky given international broadcast deals, but said MVP "performed better than anything they've ever done in the US market." The...