Love or hate him, you can’t deny the fact that Jake Paul has solidified his place as a prominent figure in the boxing world. However, the Ohio native’s meteoric rise in boxing has been fueled by his manager, Nakisa Bidarian. You must have seen him on stage with Paul during weigh-ins and press conferences.

Although Bidarian prefers to stay out of the spotlight, he brings extensive experience in the media industry. So, why is Paul’s manager such a big deal? He’s far more than just a manager. Let’s take a closer look at Nakisa Bidarian’s life and uncover the force behind Jake Paul’s stardom.

Who is Nakisa Bidarian? From Iran to Wall Street to Boxing Promoter

Fighting is in Nakisa Bidarian’s blood, having grown up amid harsh conditions in Iran. When the Iran-Iraq War broke out, his family made the difficult decision to leave the country so as to escape the conflict. At one point, the military even attempted to deploy children into service.

“My older brother had the potential of being drafted into the military at age 12; they were sending kids to walk over landmines,” Nakisa Bidarian told The Independent.

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As a result, Bidarian and his family moved across several countries, including the UK, Canada, and the USA. Once in the United States, he carved out a professional path in finance and consulting, working for major firms such as Accenture, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley. These experiences ultimately paved the way for his entry into the UFC world.

Nakisa Bidarian’s Role at UFC: Former CFO to the Fertitta Brothers

Paul’s manager has built an impressive career as an investor, advisor, and strategic and financial consultant across multiple companies. So how did he end up at the UFC? It turns out Bidarian co-founded Fertitta Capital alongside former UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, where he also served as CFO. Through his strong ties with the Fertitta brothers, he was offered a role within the UFC.

While describing how he joined the UFC, Bidarian stated, “My eventual path to UFC was not one that was calculated, but more based on a relationship that I had built with the previous owners of UFC: Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta.”

He served as Chief Strategy Officer and CFO at the UFC from 2011 to 2016. During that time, he also met UFC president Dana White. Although White and Bidarian worked closely together in the past, their relationship does not appear to be on good terms currently.

How Nakisa Bidarian & Jake Paul Founded Most Value Promotions

After the UFC was acquired by WME-IMG, Nakisa Bidarian played a key role in overseeing the transaction. Even after the acquisition, he continued working closely with the Fertitta brothers from 2016 to 2019, serving as Chief Executive Officer. In 2019, through a mutual friend, Bidarian met Jake Paul, marking the start of their professional relationship. Despite some ups and downs along the way, their partnership eventually solidified.

In 2021, Bidarian and Paul co-founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), a company dedicated to putting fighters first while also promoting young athletes and women’s boxing. MVP quickly made an impact, most notably with its headline event featuring Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano at Madison Square Garden in 2022.

Nakisa Bidarian’s Net Worth & Business Ventures

In addition to MVP, Nakisa Bidarian also founded BAVAFA Sports, a sports media and talent advisory firm. On top of that, he has explored other business ventures while advising multiple promotions. Bidarian even co-founded Betr Holdings, Inc. with Jake Paul, a sports betting and media company designed to combine interactive betting with engaging media experiences.

Moreover, he is involved as an Operating Partner at Anti Fund Investment Fund, LLC, where he applies his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and his financial expertise. Through these endeavors, Nakisa Bidarian’s estimated net worth reached around $4–5 million as of last year.

Nakisa Bidarian’s journey bears testament to adaptability, survival and long term vision. Behind Jake Paul’s headline-grabbing persona, stands tall a strategist who understands leverage, risk and timing better than most in the sport.