It appears that Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions have finally assembled an MMA card capable of rivaling any marquee UFC event. Fans were left stunned when Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano were unveiled as the headliners for the May 16 showcase, with both icons stepping out of retirement after 10 and 17 years, respectively.
The intrigue only intensified when Francis Ngannou confirmed his long-awaited MMA return, his first since knocking out Renan Ferreira under the PFL banner in October 2024. The former heavyweight king is set to square off against Philipe Lins in a five-round clash.
Meanwhile, another blockbuster bout sees Nate Diaz make his return to MMA for the first time since UFC 279 in September 2022 against Mike Perry in a must-watch welterweight showdown. With the full lineup now revealed, the card continues to gain depth with several high-profile additions.
‼️ The Full Card for MVP MMA on May 16th has been revealed 📜 pic.twitter.com/UajmoOgNYF
— IFN (@IfnBoxing) March 24, 2026
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Former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos is set to face Cuba’s Robelis Despaigne. For the unversed, the Brazilian hasn’t competed since his victory over Alan Belcher at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 7 in March 2024. Despaigne, on the other hand, has revitalized his career in Karate Combat following a brief UFC stint, most recently knocking out Sam Alvey to claim the promotion’s heavyweight title.
In the flyweight division, undefeated prospect Muhammad Mokaev is set for a high-stakes clash against former ONE champion Adriano Moraes. Despite remaining unbeaten and nearing title contention, Mokaev was not re-signed by the UFC following his win over Manel Kape in July 2024.
Since then, he has continued his surge with three straight victories, including a knockout win over Gerard Burns to capture the inaugural BRAVE CF flyweight title. Moraes, meanwhile, parted ways with ONE Championship after a decorated 12-year run. He enters the bout looking to rebound from a TKO loss to Yuya Wakamatsu in a fight for the vacant ONE flyweight title last March.
Notably, Moraes remains one of only a select few fighters to hold a victory over Demetrious Johnson, further elevating the stakes of this compelling matchup. The card is further bolstered by the inclusion of former Bellator champion Jason Jackson, alongside Karate Combat titleholder Aline Pereira, the sister of UFC star Alex Pereira, and KSW standout Salahdine Parnasse, adding even more depth and global appeal to the lineup.
MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano marks the inaugural MMA event from Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian under the Most Valuable Promotions banner. The duo has already found success in boxing, previously partnering with Netflix on blockbuster events featuring Paul against icons such as Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua.
Full MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano Fight Card:
- Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano (5-round featherweight main event)
- Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins (5-round heavyweight bout)
- Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry (5-round welterweight bout)
- Jason Jackson vs. Lorenz Larkin
- Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne
- Muhammad Mokaev vs. Adriano Moraes
- Kenneth Cross vs. Salahdine Parnasse
- Jade Masson-Wong vs. Alice Pereira
- Jake Babian vs. Namo Fazil
- David Mgoyan vs. Albert Morales
- Chris Avila vs. TBA
With a mix of returning legends, established champions, and rising contenders, MVP’s debut MMA card is shaping up to be a legitimate rival to any top-tier fight night in the sport.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.