Jake Paul targets UFC after Freedom 250 misses MVP mark

Freedom 250 ratings landed below a rival benchmark, setting off public jabs from Jake Paul and Ronda Rousey aimed at the UFC and its leadership.

Paramount said Thursday that the heavily promoted UFC event staged on the White House South Lawn averaged 7 million U.S. viewers. The figure did not exceed the audience reported for a recent Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) MMA broadcast.

Paramount reports 7 million viewers for White House card

The UFC card, framed as a marquee showcase at President Donald Trump’s residence, was marketed as a high-visibility spectacle. Paramount’s disclosure put its average U.S. viewership at 7 million.

That average was 2.3 million lower than the 9.3 million U.S. viewers Netflix said watched MVP’s MMA event headlined by Rousey and Gina Carano. Netflix tied that figure to the May 16 bout in which Rousey won via armbar in 17 seconds.

The two numbers, released by different companies, reflect separate measurement approaches and distribution platforms. Still, the gap immediately became ammunition in an ongoing rivalry between promoters and brands competing for attention in combat sports.

Paul claims promotional bragging rights as MVP cites record

Paul, a founder of MVP alongside former UFC chief financial officer Nakisa Bidarian, used the comparison to position his company as the leading MMA promoter by viewership. In a Friday post on X, Paul wrote that he felt good “being the biggest MMA promoter.”

MVP’s first MMA show was billed by the company as a “takeover” moment, a message designed to signal a serious entry into the sport rather than a one-off crossover. The Rousey vs. Carano main event and the Netflix viewership claim have become central to that narrative.

The UFC has long been the dominant MMA organization in the U.S. market, with a well-established pay-per-view and media-rights model. A competing promotion’s ability to cite a larger single-event audience—particularly on a mainstream streaming platform—adds a new pressure point in how success is defined publicly.

Rousey escalates feud with message aimed at UFC executive

Rousey also weighed in on X after the Paramount figure circulated. She targeted UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell, posting an explicit taunt: “Lmao! Kiss my a Hunter Campbell.”

The exchange underscores how audience metrics are increasingly used as public scoreboards, not just internal business tools. In combat sports, where promotion and personality often drive demand, ratings claims can shape negotiating leverage, sponsor interest, and future event positioning.

For the UFC, the 7 million average still represents a sizable U.S. audience for a single event tied to a highly visible venue. For MVP, the ability to point to Netflix’s 9.3 million figure strengthens its pitch to fighters, partners, and broadcasters as it attempts to build an MMA slate.

Next steps to watch include whether Paramount or the UFC provides additional detail on measurement, such as peak viewership or global totals, and whether MVP announces a follow-up MMA card to capitalize on the attention. The industry will also be watching how platforms and promoters continue to frame viewership figures as competitive milestones.