Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) are not playing around with building a world-class MMA event for their Netflix debut.
Per a report from The Scrap, the still-growing fight card is expected to gain one of the absolute top prospects in the sport, Salahdine Parnasse, who is targeted to fight Kenny Cross at the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano-led event scheduled for Sat., May 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. There has yet to be an official bout announcement, but Cross posted about the matchup
himself on social media and revealed he’s entered into fight camp.
Who is Salahdine Parnasse? Though not exactly a household name in the US, Parnasse is a two-division KSW champion with a 22-2 professional record. Known for explosive knockouts, Parnasse has won titles at 145- and 155-pounds, and he also challenged for KSW gold at 170. Back in 2024, UFC tried to sign Parnasse, who passed on their offer because it was “20-30 times less” than KSW was offering.
Presumably, the MVP offer is a bit less stingy.
Meanwhile, Cross (17-4) may not have the international hype of Parnasse, but he’s an accomplished fighter in his own right. The 31-year-old is a veteran of both Bellator and Contender Series, and he’s won his last four bouts. If he can upset Parnasse, it would easily be the biggest win of his career.
Here’s how the MVP MMA 1 card stands at this point:
- Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano
- Francis Ngannou vs. Philipe Lins
- Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry
- Jason Jackson vs. Lorenz Larkin
- Salahdine Parnasse vs. Kenny Cross (unofficial)
For my money, this could be the perfect matchup to round out the main card. There’s a lot of star power and name value at the top of the event, and while those fights should be great entertainment, you cannot build a promotion around 43-year-old Carano in what’s likely to be a one-off fight. Paying up for a young star like Parnasse would be strong evidence that MVP and Netflix really plan to invest in growing their MMA viewership in the long term.
UFC could certainly use the competition.
For everything you need to know about the “Rousey vs. Carano”-led event click here.
