To some, Nakisa Bidarian is the mastermind behind the highly publicized fight that took the world by storm – the one that brought Jake Paul and Mike Tyson together in front of millions. But Bidarian himself often refers to his role as simply that of an accountant, working alongside Paul. In 2021, they co-founded Most Valuable Promotions, and on Friday, their company hosted its most significant event yet at a sold-out AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with 73,200 fans in attendance.

Uniting Generations through Boxing's Iconic Moment

A Controversial Main Event

The main event between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was far from a thrilling spectacle. Paul landed a total of 78 punches, while Tyson managed only 18 out of the 97 punches he threw. At 58 years old and 31 years older than his opponent, Tyson was clearly a shadow of his former self, having last fought professionally nearly two decades ago. But Bidarian saw the night as a resounding success. "Jake had an ayahuasca session and envisioned this fight happening," he told CNN Sport. "We connected six different generations – from the original boomers born in the 1940s to the Gen Z and Gen Alpha demographics passionate about Jake Paul – all discussing the same event. Journalists even called us, saying this was the first time their mothers in their 70s or 80s were talking to their sons about a fight. That's what made this special."

The viewing experience was not without its challenges. The massive viewership to watch the first-ever live boxing bout on Netflix crashed the server, making everyone familiar with the Netflix loading screen. Later, Netflix announced that a record 60 million households tuned in, peaking at 65 million concurrent streams. Most Valuable Promotions also stated that the event generated $18.1 million in total gate revenue, making it the biggest gate for any boxing or MMA event outside of Las Vegas in US history and the ninth-highest combat sports gate in US history.

Bidarian emphasized, "The event broke the internet. There's never been a streaming event of this magnitude in history. Of course, we could have made more money on pay-per-view, but that wasn't the goal. This was about leaving a legacy, building a brand, and creating an iconic moment where the world stopped and reconnected with boxing."

A Road to the Top

Bidarian has a diverse background as an investor, advisor, and financial consultant, having served as Chief Financial Officer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) until 2016. He first met Jake Paul through a mutual friend in October 2019 and played a crucial role in advancing Paul's boxing career. "I executive produced Mike Tyson's exhibition match against Roy Jones in 2020 and brought Jake Paul as the co-feature. That's where Jake gained notoriety as a relatively novice young boxer," Bidarian said. Paul then earned a KO victory over former NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard, propelling his boxing career to new heights. Soon after, Bidarian and Paul formed Most Valuable Promotions and announced seven-division women's world champion Amanda Serrano as their first signing.

"It was based on three things," Bidarian explained in July. "First, putting fighters first and making them feel like the focus, with them getting the majority of the revenue. Second, doubling down on women. I had experience in MMA with Ronda Rousey's success and saw the same potential in boxing. Amanda was the perfect vehicle. Third, giving young boxers a platform."

Shift to Women's Boxing

In Amanda Serrano, Bidarian and Paul have the opportunity to promote one of the biggest names in women's boxing. Serrano's light-welterweight unification bout against Katie Taylor was the most captivating match at Friday's event in Texas, a rematch of Taylor's victory at Madison Square Garden two years ago. Taylor emerged victorious again, but many in the audience booed in disbelief when the unanimous decision was announced. The two women put on a remarkable display, with Serrano being the aggressor and Taylor delivering powerful shots, often clashing heads.

In round eight, Taylor was deducted a point for her fourth headbutt. Serrano had seemed in control but was shocked by the decision and called Taylor a "dirty fighter." However, Bidarian believes Serrano is in a strong position despite the defeat. "I feel blessed that she lost. I hate the decision, but I love the outcome. There was a pre-negotiated trilogy if Katie Taylor had won, but now there isn't. Amanda Serrano is in the greatest position of her life. She is the face of women's boxing. I think the whole world thought she won, and now she'll win in a way no woman has before – with her bank account, because she deserves it."