One fight can change a fighter’s career trajectory. Something similar is unfolding for a French lightweight star who made his US debut on the Jake Paul-led MVP MMA card earlier this month. Salahdine Parnasse and his manager, Stéphane Chaufourier, attended PFL Brussels last weekend when they teased the French lightweight’s major promotional debut, with potential destinations including the UFC and the PFL.
“In less than a month, we will have the name of the organization,” Chaufourier told RMC Sport Combat. “Now we have different options. We have the PFL, who invited us tonight, so it’s not for nothing [that] we are here. We have the UFC with whom we are also in discussion. And the MVP, it went really well. They make us hear that they would like us to come back.
“So we are on an equal footing. We are discussing with the three biggest promoters. We are going to sit down and think about it. And we will make our decisions. In less than a month, we will have the name of the organization. Once again, great things are happening right now. We will have to hurry up so that they can prepare… I think that by September-October, we will see what happens.”
💬 "Dans moins d'un mois, on aura le nom de l'organisation de Salahdine Parnasse"
— RMC Sport Combat (@RMCSportCombat) May 23, 2026
🚨 Au micro de RMC Sport, Salahdine Parnasse et son manager Atch teasent le futur proche de l'ancien double champion du KSW !
🤩 On a hte de voir la suite pour lui ! pic.twitter.com/J5zVIWkocw
Salahdine Parnasse’s anticipated debut in a major MMA promotion feels more like a matter of timing than possibility. The former two-division KSW champion further strengthened his case earlier this month, dismantling highly touted prospect Kenneth Cross in just 4:18 of the opening round on the MVP MMA card to improve his record to 23-2. Adding to his growing intrigue, the UFC had already pursued him in 2024 with an offer to join the sport’s premier organization.
The 28-year-old ultimately turned it down, later revealing that the UFC’s proposed deal was worth 20 to 30 times less than what he was earning with European promotions. Now, with the UFC once again circling the French standout, the situation could intensify efforts from MVP co-founder Jake Paul to keep Parnasse under his banner, especially after Paul publicly stated that MVP sees itself as a direct competitor to the UFC.
As Parnasse weighs his future, one thing about his next move appears certain.
Salahdine Parnasse wants Dustin Poirier to come out of retirement
Right after his win, the 28-year-old told Ariel Helwani that he is open to fighting anyone, including Nate Diaz. However, later his team took to Instagram to put an even bigger name in front of him. They shared a poster of Parnasse and Dustin Poirier for a fight under the MVP banner.
“Open season. He’s the one we want,” they wrote. “Respectfully.”
While the poster suggests that the ‘Atch Academy’ team member wants to continue his future with MVP, there are hurdles to making the Poirier fight. ‘The Diamond,’ who retired from the UFC in December last year, has previously expressed intentions to step into the boxing ring, but his contract with the UFC is causing him problems.
He currently has several fights left with the UFC, so if Parnasse wants that fight, he will, first of all, need to sign with the UFC.
As it currently stands, the UFC, PFL, and MVP are in a race to sign Salahdine Parnasse. But only time will tell who ends up signing one of the biggest blue-chip prospects in MMA.
