“I’m in the classic torture chamber where I can’t tell if my internet keeps going out or whether #netflix is just constantly buffering and unwatchable for everybody,” Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy wrote on X while watching the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight on November 15th on Netflix. 

Despite the widespread streaming issues, the event’s success has remarkably solidified its future in the boxing world. At least, that’s what Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian feels after the Paul-Tyson fight broke records.

Even though the fight itself was a lackluster performance from Paul and Tyson, it attracted a peak of 65 million concurrent viewers. The fight quickly became the most-watched boxing match in the history of the sport, even collecting $18 million in gate revenue alone. 

These huge numbers must entice the streaming giant to stick around in the sport for longer. As for the question of whether they will, Bidarian revealed, “Look we went into it with the understanding on both sides that this was a first-time thing to really see ‘could we capture the broader audience?’ that boxing just doesn’t have.”

Paul’s business partner argued that boxing has shifted from its glory days to a niche sport, becoming increasingly fragmented as its distribution continues to decline in the United States. So, he revealed that when they initially signed the deal with the streaming giant in November of last year, it was an exclusive deal between them, with an opponent to be agreed upon later. 

“One of those opponents that was agreed upon was Tommy Fury… He and his father weren’t able to understand the benefits of being a part of a fight like this and not having a pay-per-view upside…,” Bidarian explained. 

As for the streaming issues, the MVP co-founder claimed it was the cost of doing something big that has never been done before. Regardless, commenting on Netflix’s future in boxing, Bidarian told Adam Catterall and Gareth A Davies of talkSport Boxing: “The numbers were astronomical, the success—unprecedented. The hope is we’re going to find ways to continue working together.”

Even on Netflix’s side, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, wrote in an internal memo, “We don’t want to dismiss the poor experience of some members and know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success.” If this wasn’t enough, UFC top honcho Dana White was also impressed by Netflix after the Jake Paul–Mike Tyson fight. 

Dana White is considering Netflix as broadcast partner after Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight

Dana White is open to the possibility of Netflix becoming a broadcast partner for the UFC following the streaming giant’s successful airing of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. The UFC CEO believes they were “late to the game” in live sports. “I always thought that Netflix was crazy not to get into live sports sooner than they did. Those guys truly have a global footprint,” White told Sports Business Journal. 

White believes the Paul-Tyson fight was a good test for them before they start airing NFL on Christmas Day, especially with a reported 65 million concurrent viewers. “I think they’re using that as a way to learn more about live streaming,” White explained. With UFC’s broadcast rights up for grabs in 2025, White isn’t ruling out working with any network, including Netflix, as UFC negotiations heat up.

It appears despite all the issues people may have had, Netflix has landed a masterstroke with its first-ever combat sports event. However, whether their future events make the same impact is yet to be seen, especially without someone like Mike Tyson involved. Do you think Netflix will last long?