Jake Paul provides timeline for MMA debut after blockbuster merger with PFL

Jake Paul is planning to make his MMA debut next year after inking a landmark deal with PFL.

On Thursday, it was announced that Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) is set to merge with PFL to challenge the UFC’s monopoly over the sport.

PFL

Under the terms of the merger, PFL will eventually become MVP MMA, with its entire roster set to cross over.

MVP made a successful first foray into MMA in May with a women’s super fight between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano.

It marked the first MMA event to be streamed on Netflix and commanded a massive global viewership of 17million.

Paul and MVP’s ambitions don’t stop there, as they look to push hard for bigger and better events.

Perhaps the biggest fight they can put on right now, at least in terms of spectacle and size, would be the long-awaited MMA debut of co-founder Paul.

‘The Problem Child’ previously signed with the PFL in 2023, with the view of competing, but ended up leaving the company earlier this year without a single fight under his belt.

That is expected to change now that he is heading up operations alongside business partner Nakisa Bidarian and PFL CEO John Martin.

Jake Paul provides MMA debut timeline

“I’ve been trying to make it happen for a long time,” Paul said of his MMA debut during a recent appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.

“It has just come down to negotiations behind the scenes.

“I’m going to come back hopefully later this year in boxing, and then I’m looking to do MMA in 2027…

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“I don’t know [how much harder MMA will be], that’s the funny part, I haven’t done a single day of MMA training.

“I have a wrestling background; I grew up with Division I Ohio wrestling in high school.

“But I’ve never said, ‘Hey, today we are training MMA’.

“I would imagine it is very similar to boxing, intensive, a lot of punishment, the cardio, the non-stop two-a-days, the recovery, it’s all probably fairly similar.

“I’m going to have to split up the boxing, the kickboxing, the jiu-jitsu and the wrestling all into the different training sessions and I’ve never done that before.”

Who could Jake Paul face in his MMA debut?

Paul is close to being cleared to spar again after suffering a broken jaw during a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in November.

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His handlers have already started putting feelers out for his boxing comeback, with Terence Crawford among the names that have been contacted.

Paul also believes that a rematch with Nate Diaz in MMA is a genuine possibility following his unanimous decision victory over the UFC legend in the squared circle three years ago.

That fight has been on the table for a long time and appears to be the most logical first outing for Paul, especially after Diaz locked horns with Mike Perry in the co-main event of MVP MMA 1.

UFC Schedule

There are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.

The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.

On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.

With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.