Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has rapidly ascended to global prominence, captivating millions of fans and establishing itself as one of the most thrilling sports in the world. However, while the sport has evolved in terms of skill, athleticism, and viewership, the business and operational models within MMA have often lagged behind, leaving athletes undercompensated and underrepresented. Enter the Global Fight League (GFL), a groundbreaking organization poised to redefine the future of combat sports by prioritizing athlete welfare, integrity, and innovation.
The GFL is not just another MMA promotion; it’s a movement that places athletes at the heart of its mission. Unlike traditional MMA organizations, which often leave fighters with minimal financial security and limited benefits, the GFL is pioneering a true team-based league model. This revolutionary structure ensures that athletes are more than just competitors—they become equitable partners in the success of the league.
For the first time in combat sports history, the GFL guarantees that 50% of all event revenue sources will go directly to the athletes. This model not only provides fairer compensation but also aligns the interests of the league and its fighters, fostering a collaborative environment where everyone works toward shared success.
In addition to revenue sharing, the GFL is addressing two critical areas often neglected in combat sports: retirement and insurance. The league is committing 8% of each athlete’s purse to a retirement fund, ensuring fighters have financial stability long after they hang up their gloves. Furthermore, a 2% contribution to insurance provides fighters with crucial coverage, prioritizing their health and well-being both inside and outside the cage.
These initiatives underscore the GFL’s commitment to building a sustainable career path for its athletes, offering a model that other sports leagues and organizations can aspire to emulate.
One of the most exciting innovations introduced by the GFL is its team-based league model. By organizing athletes into teams, the league enhances the strategic and emotional dimensions of MMA, giving fans new storylines and alliances to follow. This structure also fosters camaraderie among fighters, who often train in isolation and compete in an individualistic environment.
Team-based competition doesn’t just elevate the sport for fans—it creates a sense of unity and shared purpose among athletes, further strengthening the league’s foundation of collaboration and integrity.
For MMA fans, the GFL promises an electrifying experience. The team-based model introduces rivalries, narratives, and stakes that extend beyond individual fights. Fans can rally behind their favorite teams while still enjoying the skill and spectacle of one-on-one combat. The GFL’s commitment to transparency and fairness also ensures that fans can trust in the authenticity and integrity of the league.
By sharing revenues with athletes, the GFL also ensures that fighters are motivated to give their best performance, knowing their success directly impacts their financial and professional future. This creates an environment where the highest level of competition thrives, delivering unforgettable moments for fans around the world.
The Global Fight League is more than just an MMA promotion—it’s a vision for what the sport can and should become. By prioritizing integrity, collaboration, and athlete welfare, the GFL is setting a new standard for how combat sports are organized and operated.
In an era where athletes in other sports leagues enjoy collective bargaining, retirement funds, and insurance, the GFL is leveling the playing field for MMA fighters. This evolution is not just necessary—it’s inevitable. As the sport continues to grow, organizations that put athletes first will lead the way, and the GFL is at the forefront of that revolution.
The 2025 GFL Draft took place virtually on Friday, January 24, 2025. Six teams will each represent a major city and will select from a field of approximately 500 fighters, including notable free agents and prospects.
120 fighters were selected across 10 weight classes (heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight, women’s bantamweight, women’s strawweight and women’s atomweight), but the weight classes are divided slightly differently than traditional weight classes, which the organization says is an attempt to combat weight cutting.
Although specific dates have yet to be announced, the promotion is expected to launch in April and feature regular season events, semi-finals and finals throughout the year.
The six teams are managed and trained by MMA greats Dubai (manager Cain Velasquez and trainer Javier Mendes), London (manager Luke Bernat and coach Karl Prince), Los Angeles (managers Wanderlei Silva and Rafael Cordeiro), Miami (manager Thiago Alves and coach Conan Silveira), New York (manager TBA and coach Rey Longo) and Sao Paulo (manager Lyoto Machida and coach Andre Pederneiras).
2025 GFL Draft results:
Team Dubai
Anastasia Nikolakakos (atomweight)Jessica Aguilar (atomweight)Faine Mesquita (strawweight)Randi Field (strawweight)Alexa Conners (bantamweight)Arlene Blencowe (bantamweight)Farbod Iran Nezhad (bantamweight)Timur Valiev (bantamweight)Adilet Nurmatov (featherweight)Khumoyun Tukhtamurodov (featherweight)Damir Ismagulov (lightweight)Tofiq Musayev (lightweight)Abubakar Nurmagomedov (welterweight)Tyron Woodley (welterweight)Derek Brunson (middleweight)Luke Rockhold (middleweight)Omari Akhmedov (light heavyweight)Ronny Markes (light heavyweight)Ali Isaev (heavyweight)Todd Duffee (heavyweight)
Team Los Angeles
Cory McKenna (atomweight)Jessica Penne (atomweight)Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (strawweight)Cynthia Calvillo (strawweight)Aspen Ladd (bantamweight)Leslie Smith (bantamweight)Ray Borg (bantamweight)Urijah Faber (bantamweight)Chad Mendes (featherweight)Tyler Diamond (featherweight)Sage Northcutt (lightweight)Tony Ferguson (lightweight)Lorenz Larkin (welterweight)Louis Glismann (welterweight)Grant Neal (middleweight)Uriah Hall (middleweight)Da Woon Jung (light heavyweight)Rashad Evans (light heavyweight)Frank Mir (heavyweight)Andrei Arlovski (heavyweight)
Team London
Chiara Penco (atomweight)Kelly Staddon (atomweight)Josefine Knutsson (strawweight)Karolina Owczarz (strawweight)Julia Budd (bantamweight)Pannie Kianzad (bantamweight)Cameron Else (bantamweight)Josh Hill (bantamweight)Brett Johns (featherweight)Mike Grundy (featherweight)Benson Henderson (lightweight)Tim Wilde (lightweight)Danny Roberts (welterweight)Norman Parke (welterweight)Gegard Mousasi (middleweight)Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz (middleweight)Alexander Gustafsson (light heavyweight)Ilir Latifi (light heavyweight)Stuart Austin (heavyweight)Tanner Boser (heavyweight)
Team Miami
Kayla Hracho (atomweight)Natasha Kuziutina (atomweight)Hannah Goldy (strawweight)Paige VanZant (strawweight)Cat Zingano (bantamweight)Mariya Agapova (bantamweight)Eric Shelton (bantamweight)Marlon Moraes (bantamweight)Andre Harrison (featherweight)Charles Rosa (featherweight)Anthony Pettis (lightweight)Jeremy Stephens (lightweight)Dilano Taylor (welterweight)Gleison Tibau (welterweight)Hector Lombard (middleweight)Yoel Romero (middleweight)Philipe Lins (light heavyweight)Thiago Santos (light heavyweight)Robelis Despaigne (heavyweight)Junior Dos Santos (heavyweight)
Team Sao Paulo
Joice Mara (atomweight)Pamela Mara (atomweight)Camila Reynoso (strawweight)Viviane Araujo (strawweight)Alejandra Lara (bantamweight)Paula Bittencourt (bantamweight)Raphael Assuncao (bantamweight)Renan Barao (bantamweight)Julio Arce (featherweight)Maike Linhares (featherweight)Patricky Freire (lightweight)Lucas Martins (lightweight)Alex Oliveira (welterweight)Carlos Petruzzella (welterweight)Alan Patrick (middleweight)Douglas Lima (middleweight)Antonio Carlos Junior (light heavyweight)Mauricio Rua (light heavyweight)Bruno Cappelozza (heavyweight)Fabricio Werdum (heavyweight)
Team New York
Bi Nguyen (atomweight)Marisa Messer-Belenchia (atomweight)Melissa Amaya (strawweight)Miao Ding (strawweight)Holly Holm (bantamweight)Liana Jojua (bantamweight)Jimmie Rivera (bantamweight)Zviad Lazishvili (bantamweight)Lance Palmer (featherweight)Kai Kamaka III (featherweight)Sidney Outlaw (lightweight)Kevin Lee (lightweight)Neiman Gracie (welterweight)Dillon Danis (welterweight)Phillip Hawes (middleweight)Chris Weidman (middleweight)Devin Clark (light heavyweight)Ovince Saint Preux (light heavyweight)Fabricio Werdum (heavyweight)Aleksei Oleinik (heavyweight)
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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