Jake Paul wants to win the fight versus UFC after PFL-MVP merger

Jul 31, 2026 - 14:15

Just hours after the shocking PFL-MVP merger, MVP co-founder Jake Paul has put UFC and Dana White on notice. While previously competing in the women’s boxing space and frequently in MMA, Paul is now set to take on White and the UFC head-on with his new PFL merger.

Paul and White have never looked each other in the eye and have spent years throwing verbal jabs at each other. However, with Paul now directly entering the MMA space, it might be dangerous for White. Speaking to ESPN SportsCenter, Paul opened up and teased his MMA debut in 2027, while also throwing a direct challenge to the UFC president. “Dana [White], we’re coming for you, baby,” Paul said.

After the PFL-MVP merger announcement was shared, The Wall Street Journal reported that Paul wants to pick a fight with the UFC with his latest deal. Later, at the MVP x PFL merger announcement, Paul addressed The Wall Street Journal’s comments and responded, “Wall Street Journal said that we wanna pick a fight with UFC. Wall Street Journal, we don’t wanna just pick a fight, we wanna win the fight.”

Some of the world’s best and most successful fighters are currently signed with UFC, and while Paul’s MVP pays more, it still has a long way to go before matching the reputation of Dana White’s brand. However, its advantage of paying fighters more and the tag of a rising brand could open up the doors for the talented and underpaid fighters at UFC to jump promotions. Despite the groundbreaking announcement, Paul’s MVP still has a long way to go, while UFC currently sits on $7 billion in profit following its landmark deal with Paramount.

Jake Paul on the MVP x PFL merger:
“WSJ said that we want to pick a fight with the UFC. WSJ, we don’t just want to pick a fight, we want to win the fight.”
(via @MostVpromotions) pic.twitter.com/QlbC1lHckS https://t.co/NzkI3QPAa6
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 30, 2026