John Martin’s run at the top of the newly merged MMA and boxing promotion has come to an abrupt end. The executive announced on his personal Instagram Tuesday morning that he is stepping down as CEO effective immediately.
“After an incredible year and the successful combination of PFL and MVP, I’ve made the decision to step down as CEO of the combined company. I’m enormously proud of what this team has accomplished and couldn’t have more confidence in what comes next. Nakisa and I worked closely together to bring these companies together, and I believe he is the natural person to lead this next chapter. I’m grateful to the entire team and Board for their partnership, and I’ll be cheering for MVP as both a former executive and a fan,” Martin wrote.
Inside the PFL-MVP Merger That John Martin Helped Build
Martin joined PFL in July 2025, taking over following the departures of former CEO Peter Murray and chairman Donn Davis. Before entering the fight business, he served as chairman and CEO of Turner Entertainment and held the chief financial and administrative officer role at Time Warner.
Under his leadership, PFL completed a landmark merger with Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian’s Most Valuable Promotions on July 30, bringing MMA and boxing operations under one umbrella with a full rebrand expected in early 2027. At the time, Martin called the deal a “huge accelerant” for the promotion, pointing to MVP’s ability to draw attention through Paul’s crossover star power and PFL’s need to fix its U.S. distribution.
What’s Next Under Nakisa Bidarian
With Martin’s exit, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian now takes over leadership of the combined company as it moves toward its planned 2027 rebrand. Bidarian, Jake Paul’s longtime business partner, had already been overseeing MVP’s boxing operations and live events under the original merger structure.
Martin’s statement did not name a formal successor beyond his endorsement of Bidarian, nor did it give a specific reason for the departure. The shakeup marks the second major executive departure at the company in just over a year, following Donn Davis’s earlier exit, and comes as PFL enters the final year of its domestic rights agreement with ESPN, which expires at the end of 2026.
Also read: Usman Nurmagomedov Says He’ll Decide His Next Promotion by End of October 2026
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