Netflix will host the first ever MVP: MMA event on Saturday, May 16. The card features big names returning to MMA and several notable matchups across the main card and prelims.
Event overview
The main event is a clash between two female MMA pioneers: former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and ex-Strikeforce star Gina Carano. Rousey returns to the cage for the first time in a decade. Carano makes her comeback after a 17-year retirement.
The co-main event pits Nate Diaz against Mike Perry. Diaz is back in MMA for the first time since his submission win over Tony Ferguson in the UFC in 2022. Perry left MMA in 2021 while on a losing streak but has since become a bareknuckle boxing champion with a 6-0 run in that sport.
Main card highlights
Other big names on the card include Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion turned boxing star, who returns to MMA to fight Philipe Lins. Lins was on a four-fight winning streak in the Octagon before being released in 2024.
Salahdine Parnasse, a former two-division KSW champion with a 22-2 career record, steps in against Kenneth Cross, a 17-4 regional-level fighter. The main card opens with former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, returning from a two-year absence to face Robelis Despaigne. Despaigne is a former Olympic Karate gold medalist who was released from the UFC in 2024 after back-to-back defeats but has gone 7-0 in Karate Combat since.
Full fight card
Main Card
- Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano
- Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry
- Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins
- Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenneth Cross
- Junior dos Santos vs. Robelis Despaigne
Prelims
- Namo Fazil vs. Jake Bobian
- Adriano Moraes vs. Phumi Nkuta
- Jason Jackson vs. Jefferson Creighton
- David Mgoyan vs. Albert Morales
- Aline Pereira vs. Jade Masson-Wong
- Chris Avila vs. Brandon Jenkins
Recent form at a glance
| Fighter | Recent Result / Note |
|---|---|
| Ronda Rousey | Returns to MMA for first time in a decade; former UFC bantamweight champion |
| Gina Carano | Coming out of a 17-year retirement |
| Nate Diaz | Last competed in MMA in 2022 (submission win over Tony Ferguson) |
| Mike Perry | Left MMA in 2021 on a losing streak; now 6-0 in bareknuckle boxing and a champion |
| Francis Ngannou | Former UFC heavyweight champion turned boxing star; returns to MMA |
| Philipe Lins | Four-fight Octagon winning streak before surprising release in 2024 |
| Salahdine Parnasse | Former two-division KSW champion; career record 22-2 |
| Kenneth Cross | Regional veteran with a 17-4 career record |
| Junior dos Santos | Returns after a two-year absence; former UFC heavyweight champion |
| Robelis Despaigne | Released from UFC in 2024 after back-to-back defeats; 7-0 in Karate Combat since |
This event brings high-profile comebacks and cross-sport stars to a single card. Fans can expect a mix of MMA veterans returning after long layoffs and fighters who have built momentum outside the UFC. The show airs on Netflix on May 16.
