Former Disney child actor Jake Paul has made an impact in the combat sports world as both the polarizing pioneer of influencer boxing and as a promoter of the sweet science. Now, Paul’s MVP Promotions outfit is delving into the mixed martial arts world with a nostalgia-themed card that will take place May 16 in Los Angeles and stream on Netflix.
The main event features Ronda Rousey, the former UFC champion who is widely regarded as the most influential fighter in women’s MMA history, taking on former Strikeforce title contender Gina Carano in the main event. The co-main event features former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, who is often cited as the heaviest puncher in the sport’s history, taking on former Professional Fighters League champion Philipe Lins, who also spent time in the UFC.
This week, a new fight was added to the card as MVP Promotions announced that UFC icon Nate Diaz will face bare-knuckle boxing stalwart and former UFC fighter Mike Perry on the Netflix card.
Both Rousey and Carano are well known for their pursuits outside of combat sports. The 39-year-old Rousey left UFC after her December 2016 title-fight loss to Amanda Nunes but became a popular figure in the pro wrestling world with WWE and has also dabbled in acting. The 43-year-old Carano left MMA with a 7-1 record following her 2009 loss to Cris Cyborg for the Strikeforce championship. She went on to a successful acting career that included roles in films such as “Deadpool” and “Scorched Earth.”
Ngannou, 39, left UFC amid in 2022 amid a contract dispute following a successful title defense against Ciryl Gane. The Cameroon-born slugger ventured into boxing and is noted for his knockdown of former champion Tyson Fury in their October 2023 bout that Fury won in a disputed split decision. However, he has fought in MMA just once since, notching a win in the PFL in October 2024,
The 40-year-old Lins is a former PFL heavyweight champion who also competed in the UFC, leaving the promotion in March 2024 following a four-fight winning streak at light heavyweight.
The 41-year-old Diaz is known for pulling one of the biggest upsets in MMA history when he submitted Conor McGregor in March 2016. He hasn’t competed for the promotion since 2022 but has participated in boxing, with bouts including a loss to Paul and a win over former UFC rival Jorge Masvidal.
Perry, 34, went 7-8 in 15 UFC appearances from 2016-21. He became a fan favorite because of his reckless, brawling style. He has since becoming bare-knuckle boxing’s biggest star, with a 6-0 record in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships that includes knockout wins over UFC champions Eddie Alvarez and Luke Rockhold. Â
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Not long after the Netflix MMA Â card was announced, sportsbooks posted MMA odds for every fight. The following is the fight card lineup with current odds:
Netflix MMA card, oddsMain event: Ronda Rousey (-500) vs. Gina Carano (+375), featherweight (145 pounds) Co-main event: Francis Ngannou (-1400) vs. Philipe Lins (+800), heavyweight (265 pounds)Nate Diaz (+175) vs. Mike Perry (-225), welterweight (170 pounds) Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenny Cross (odds unavailable), featherweight (145 pounds) Lorenz Larkin vs. Jason Jackson (odds unavailable), welterweight (170 pounds)
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Netflix MMA look-ahead analysis, picks
The extremely wide odds suggest the card is marketed toward widespread mainstream appeal as opposed to competitive fights and, given its undeniable star power, the Netflix MMA card should draw the massive viewing numbers it is seeking with this endeavor.
From a betting perspective, it is always tricky to confidently wager on a combat event where the participants are all well past their primes and motivation — outside of the lofty paycheck — is a key factor to consider. Even so, although we wouldn’t advise firing significant wagers at any of these Netflix card MMA matchups, we will give a couple of MMA betting leans below.Â
Nate Diaz (+175) vs. Mike Perry (-225): This fight opened as near pick’em at most betting outlets before Perry quickly moved to a fairly significant favorite. We expected Perry to see the early money because it’s easy to back the younger fighter whose motivation is never in question when he steps into the combat realm in any discipline. Even so, as he proved against McGregor as a +600 underdog and even against Masvidal in boxing as a +200 underdog, Diaz seems to do his best work whenever he is disrespected in the court of public opinion. The five-round format favors his famously strong cardio, and his grappling skills could help him win rounds with ground control. We would have liked Perry at a thinner price, but now the overlay on Diaz is too juicy to ignore.Â
Philipe Lins (+800) vs. Francis Ngannou (-1,400): Although it is widely expected that Ngannou will end this one early with one of his signature devastating punches, and this outcome would come as no surprise, Lins isn’t the hapless sacrificial lamb that these odds suggest. He’s worth an underdog lottery play if you’re looking for one on this card. Lins has been a professional MMA fighter for nearly 20 years and his 18-5 record spans numerous respectable promotions, including his 4-2 record in the UFC. He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his path to victory likely involves avoiding Ngannou’s devastating power and finding a way to take the fight to the mat.Â
Josh Nagel is the combat sports editor for Sportline and its lead boxing analyst. His 2025 boxing selections netted a profit of more than $2,500 for SportsLine members. Check out SportsLine here to see more of his analysis and predictions.