Ali Akbar Rosady
Mixed martial arts icon Matt Brown has offered a skeptical perspective on the recent claims by Ronda Rousey and Jake Paul regarding the viewership success of their Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) MMA event, suggesting their celebration of higher ratings than a recent UFC card may be premature and overlook crucial factors of long-term sustainability in the competitive combat sports landscape. The commentary follows a public exchange where Rousey and Paul highlighted their event’s viewership figures, contrasting them with the UFC’s performance.
The "UFC White House card," aired on Paramount+, garnered a peak viewership of 17 million in the United States, averaging 7 million viewers throughout its broadcast. Shortly after these figures emerged, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey and promoter Jake Paul quickly pointed to the superior average viewership achieved by their MVP MMA card, which featured Rousey’s return from retirement against Gina Carano. That event, streamed on Netflix, also reached 17 million total viewers but achieved a higher average of 9.3 million viewers in the U.S.
Rousey, a pivotal figure in UFC history, utilized the moment to reignite her public campaign against UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. On X (formerly Twitter), she posted, "Lmao! Kiss my ass Hunter Campbell," directly challenging the UFC executive. Similarly, Jake Paul, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, celebrated the accomplishment, tweeting, "as a boxing promoter it feels good waking up today being the biggest MMA promoter." These statements ignited a debate across the combat sports community regarding the true measure of promotional success and influence.
However, Matt Brown, a seasoned UFC veteran known for his hard-hitting style and candid commentary, expressed reservations about the nature of these victory declarations. Speaking on "The Fighter vs. The Writer" podcast, Brown questioned the substance behind the celebrations, particularly noting the transient impact of the MVP MMA event. "I don’t know what they’re celebrating there," Brown stated. "It’s already forgotten that card happened. The only reason we’re talking about it now is because they’re doing their victory lap or whatever."
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Brown further questioned Rousey’s motivation behind her public challenge to Hunter Campbell. "I don’t know what Ronda’s trying to get out of instigating [with] Hunter Campbell," he remarked. "Dude’s got a nice salary, he lives a good life I’m sure, he’s working on building big things, I don’t know what are you doing? What do you think you just accomplished?" He speculated that UFC executives like Campbell are unlikely to be perturbed by a single event’s ratings, suggesting their focus remains on the broader business strategy and upcoming marquee events. "I highly doubt Hunter Campbell is [sitting around saying] ‘oh shit, they got more viewers than us, what are we going to do?’ No, he’s eating dinner at a five-star Michelin restaurant and talking to his buddies and about the Conor McGregor-Max Holloway fight. I don’t know where these people think that this stuff actually matters that much."
The long-term viability of Most Valuable Promotions in the MMA space remains a significant point of contention. While Paul and his business partner Nakisa Bidarian have articulated intentions to continue promoting MMA events, concrete plans for a second card following the Rousey vs. Carano spectacle have not been announced. This lack of immediate follow-through contrasts with the established rhythm of major promotions like the UFC, which consistently stages events and builds narratives around its roster.
Adding to the challenge for MVP MMA is the status of its headline fighters. Rousey has repeatedly affirmed her retirement, indicating she will not compete again. Gina Carano, while hinting at a potential return, is widely considered unlikely to command the same level of viewership appeal as Rousey, whose star power during her UFC tenure was unparalleled. This raises questions about MVP’s ability to replicate its initial ratings success without a comparable draw.
Brown emphasized that true competition requires a sustainable and meaningful challenge to the existing order. He articulated that while a single event might generate impressive numbers, it does not inherently threaten the UFC’s entrenched business model. "If you’re building something meaningful, sustainable, long-lasting and actually threatening their business in some capacity, now things might be a little different," Brown explained.
He also delved into the context of viewership numbers relative to subscriber bases. Netflix, with its vast global subscriber count (reportedly around 300 million at the time), offers a massive potential audience. Paramount+, while a significant streaming platform, has a considerably smaller subscriber base (estimated around 50 million). Brown suggested that if one considers the percentage of subscribers who tuned in, the UFC event on Paramount+ might have achieved a higher engagement rate relative to its platform’s reach. "If you look at 9 million viewers versus 300 million subscribers [on Netflix] or whatever the number is versus 7 million viewers and 50 million subscribers [on Paramount+] that percentage is way higher," he argued, implicitly suggesting the UFC’s performance on a smaller platform might be more indicative of core audience loyalty.
The UFC, meanwhile, continues to operate as a global powerhouse in combat sports. While the initial U.S. ratings for the "White House card" have been released, the organization has yet to disclose its full global viewership figures, which are expected to significantly increase the overall count. Furthermore, the UFC has major events on its immediate horizon, including the highly anticipated return of Conor McGregor in July, a factor that is expected to generate substantial viewership and revenue.
Brown drew a stark comparison between the lasting impact of the two events. "We’re talking about it two weeks later, the aftermath of the [UFC White House] event," he said, highlighting the sustained discourse around UFC events. In contrast, he described the MVP MMA card as a fleeting spectacle. "After the Ronda-MVP card, we talked about it the next day and we’re like that was about what we expected. Cool. Really good production. OK, let’s move on now. That was the end of it." He concluded that the long-term conversational impact of the UFC event far outweighs that of the MVP card.
While acknowledging Jake Paul’s role as a promoter necessitates celebrating victories, Brown questioned Rousey’s continued engagement. "I don’t think anyone actually does really care that much. Ronda’s taking anything she can get. Jake Paul, he’s promoting fights so he’s going to try to show victories any way he can, but I don’t know why Ronda cares. You got your money. Go chill. Go to your yacht and go chill. It’s over now. What do think you’re doing?"
Ultimately, Brown believes that for MVP MMA to truly challenge the UFC, it must transition from a one-off spectacle to a consistent, sustainable business model. Until then, he asserts that the UFC’s leadership remains unfazed. "MVP’s got a long way to go and I’ve said it from the beginning, they’re barking up the wrong tree," Brown declared. "You don’t mess with the UFC and its game. You’re trying to fight in their own arena, and I think that’s just a bad game to play." He expressed a hope for sustainable competition for the benefit of the sport but underscored the formidable challenge of confronting the UFC. "The UFC’s not who you want to f*ck with." The ongoing battle for viewership supremacy and market share in combat sports continues to evolve, with established giants like the UFC maintaining their dominance while emerging entities seek to carve out their niche.
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