The inaugural MVP MMA event arrives on Netflix this Saturday, with a host of former UFC stars and a big question hanging over it: Can MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano win over skeptical fans with a main event that feels well past its expiration date?
There’s zero question that Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano are stars. Until some poorly worded tweets a few years back, Carano was on the verge of landing her own Star Wars spin-off, appearing as Cara Dune on The Mandalorian in a very well-received role. Carano, who was arguably the original women’s MMA superstar, then hit a wall and wound up in a wrongful dismissal with Disney that was eventually settled out of court.
Rousey? Well, after ending her UFC career off back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, she transitioned to a very successful stint in the WWE. With pro wrestling behind her, it seemed like Rousey was set to focus on family life, while also dipping her toe in the management game.
Then came the opportunity to fight one last time. Originally, Rousey vs. Carano was set for the UFC, with the promotion giving “Rowdy” the best deal of her career. But when the company opted to sign with Paramount+ as its new U.S. broadcast home, Pay-Per-View went the way of the Dodo. Rousey’s big payday was reliant on PPV bonus points (extra money based on sales of the event), and with that no longer on the table, the fight was off the table, at least in the UFC.
Enter Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian, and Most Valuable Promotions. They scooped up the fight, and with a working relationship with Netflix already thanks to Paul’s boxing exploits, secured a broadcast home there. Adding Francis Ngannou versus Philipe Lins (originally, other names had been offered, including kickboxing superstar Rico Verhoeven), plus Mike Perry versus Nate Diaz, the card now had all the name value it needed, with one caveat:
All but Ngannou, the current lineal heavyweight champion in MMA, have trailed off over the years. Well, arguably Lins as well, but his lower profile means he isn’t even on the radar of the casual fans Netflix is hoping to draw in here. In any case, Rousey hasn’t fought since 2016, Carano since 2009. Nate Diaz has dabbled in boxing since leaving the UFC. Mike Perry has had more success as a bare-knuckle fighter than he ever did in MMA.
Still, MVP has smartly stacked the card with real talent, including KSW star Salahdine Parnasse, arguably the best featherweight outside the UFC, rising flyweight prospect Phumi Nkuta (replacing Muhammad Mokaev, who encountered visa issues), Aline Pereira (sister of “Poatan”) and others.
Wednesday saw the big names involved participate in open workouts ahead of the event, which you can check out below.
