Ali Akbar Rosady
The highly anticipated clash between mixed martial arts pioneers Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano delivered an unprecedented audience for Most Valuable Promotions’ (MVP) debut MMA event, broadcast live exclusively on Netflix this past Saturday, drawing an average of 9.3 million viewers in the United States and peaking at 11.6 million during the main event, according to figures released by MVP on Tuesday. This monumental viewership firmly establishes the contest as the most-watched MMA event ever recorded in U.S. history, surpassing the long-standing record set by Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX 1 in 2011, which garnered 8.8 million viewers.
Globally, the event, dubbed "MVP MMA 1," captivated an average of 12.4 million live viewers, with the Rousey-Carano main event peaking at an astounding 17 million simultaneous streams worldwide. These figures represent a significant triumph for MVP, the promotion co-founded by boxing sensation Jake Paul and industry veteran Nakisa Bidarian, as they ventured into mixed martial arts for the first time, leveraging Netflix’s expansive global reach and growing commitment to live sports programming.
The strategic decision to launch MVP MMA with a marquee matchup featuring two of the most iconic figures in women’s combat sports proved to be a masterstroke. Ronda Rousey, an Olympic judo medalist and the UFC’s inaugural women’s bantamweight champion, had openly expressed her ambition to break the existing viewership record, setting a target of nine million viewers for the Netflix broadcast. Her return to the MMA cage, after a hiatus that saw her transition to a successful career in professional wrestling with WWE, was met with immense anticipation. Facing her was Gina Carano, widely regarded as the original face of women’s MMA, whose undefeated record and star power in Strikeforce predated Rousey’s UFC ascent before Carano too transitioned to acting.
The narrative surrounding the fight was compelling: a generational clash between the sport’s first mainstream female superstar and the dominant force who ultimately took women’s MMA to unprecedented heights. Rousey, known for her aggressive, armbar-centric style, entered the bout with a professional record of 12-2, her last professional MMA fight dating back to December 2016. Carano, with a record of 7-1, had not competed in MMA since her 2009 loss to Cris Cyborg. The combined star power and the rarity of their returns created a perfect storm for viewership.
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In the highly anticipated main event, Ronda Rousey showcased her legendary grappling prowess, submitting Gina Carano in a mere 17 seconds. The swift and decisive victory underscored Rousey’s continued dominance, even after years away from the sport. Following her emphatic win, Rousey indicated that she did not intend to continue fighting, suggesting that this return was a singular, record-breaking endeavor rather than a full-fledged comeback. Her statement adds another layer of historical significance to the event, potentially marking the final competitive appearance of one of MMA’s most transformative athletes.
Beyond the viewership numbers, MVP MMA 1 also generated substantial financial and social engagement. The event boasted a live gate of $2.2 million, a robust figure for an MMA event, reflecting strong ticket sales and premium seating demand in Los Angeles. Furthermore, the broadcast generated over one billion impressions across Netflix’s global social media channels, highlighting the immense viral reach and public discourse surrounding the event and the platform’s ability to amplify major sporting spectacles.
The success of MVP MMA 1 places it firmly within Netflix’s burgeoning live sports portfolio, though it sits distinct from other combat sports offerings. While the 12.4 million global average viewership for MVP MMA 1 is impressive, it did not eclipse the figures achieved by the boxing event featuring Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul earlier this year, which reportedly drew 33 million viewers on the platform. However, the MMA event demonstrated a considerable improvement over the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 boxing match last summer, which averaged nearly six million viewers. This upward trend indicates growing momentum and audience engagement for combat sports content on Netflix, particularly in the MMA genre.
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, expressed immense satisfaction with the event’s performance and its implications for the future. "We’re incredibly proud of what was accomplished alongside our partners at Netflix and grateful to the athletes who helped make MVP MMA’s debut such a success," Bidarian stated in a press release. He further elaborated on the significant interest garnered by MVP’s latest venture, "We’ve received an overwhelming amount of interest from investors, strategic partners, and fighters who want to be involved with MVP and the future of MVP MMA. We are currently reviewing all strategic options to do something very meaningful within MMA on a go-forward basis with a distribution partner like Netflix that shares our vision to create lasting impact."
Bidarian’s comments hint at ambitious plans for MVP within the MMA landscape, suggesting that the promotion intends to build upon this initial success. The overwhelming interest from various stakeholders signals a potential disruption in the established MMA ecosystem, with MVP and Netflix poised to become significant players. The long-term impact could involve attracting more high-profile fighters, developing new talent, and continuing to innovate the broadcast and promotional models for mixed martial arts.
The record-breaking viewership for Rousey vs. Carano not only validates the enduring appeal of these legendary athletes but also underscores the power of a global streaming platform like Netflix to deliver major live sporting events to an unprecedented audience. It marks a pivotal moment for both women’s MMA, showcasing its mainstream drawing power, and for Netflix’s strategic expansion into live sports, potentially reshaping how combat sports are consumed worldwide. The future trajectory of MVP MMA and Netflix’s role in it will be closely watched by industry observers and fans alike.
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