Global Fight League regular season begins in
April.#HelwaniShow
pic.twitter.com/Dz28thyBvG— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman)
December 11, 2024
If it all comes to fruition, the Global Fight League could be an interesting new
addition to the mixed martial arts landscape.
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On Wednesday, promotion founder Darren Owen announced plans to
launch a team-based MMA league with a season format beginning in
April 2025. According to a release, the league will feature six
teams in “major global markets.” There will be a draft on Jan. 24
to select the fighters to represent each team. The launch of the
league was initially announced on the Ariel Helwani Show.
“Our new league is a logical evolution for MMA,” Owen said in a
release. “Our mission is to embrace fighters as true equitable
partners from inception and, together, create a format that can be
understood by any sports fan. I’ve had hundreds of conversations
with MMA legends and rising stars and our business plan is an
extension of what I have heard from fighters who want a new way to
compete and excel in the world’s fastest growing sport.”
The roster thus far features a number of notable names, including
eight former
UFC champions: Tyron
Woodley, Fabricio
Werdum, Anthony
Pettis, Junior dos
Santos, Luke
Rockhold, Frank Mir,
Andrei
Arlovski and Benson
Henderson.
There are also a number of athletes on board who held titles in
other major organizations: Gegard
Mousasi, Wanderlei
Silva, Rafael
Carvalho, Lance
Palmer, Will Brooks
and Marlon
Moraes. Moraes will also serve as head of the GFL’s athlete
association.
“This is a new chapter for fighters,” Moraes stated. “The GFL is
built on fairness, respect, and opportunity. Fighters now have a
voice and a stake in the sport’s future.”
A bigger list#HelwaniShow
pic.twitter.com/Q3eonU0v4e— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman)
December 11, 2024
According to a release, “the GFL is pioneering a 50% event-specific
revenue share model that ensures athletes benefit from the league’s
success. This revolutionary structure prioritizes fighters’
financial security and professional well-being.”
Additionally, the GFL’s fighter-centric model is expected to
include fighter health and injury insurance as well as a
“structured retirement fund.” The GFL plans to take steps to
improve fighter health and safety by eliminating extreme
weight-cutting practices.
Similar to
Professional Fighters League, the GFL will utilize a scoring
system for its bouts. Fighters will earn four points for a finish,
three for a decision win, two for a draw, one for a decision loss
and zero for a defeat via finish. The points will contribute to
each team’s total score. The GFL website currently lists seven
weight classes for men — heavyweight, light heavyweight,
middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and
bantamweight — and three weight classes for women — bantamweight,
flyweight and strawweight. Each team will have two fighters from
each division, giving them 20 overall.