Among the signings are Renan Barao, Alan Belcher, Will Brooks, Rafael Carvalho, Alexander Gustafsson, Greg Hardy, Bubba Jenkins, Ilir Latifi, Kevin Lee, Philipe Lins, Hector Lombard, Ruan Machado, John Makdessi, Jordan Mein, Marlon Moraes, Gegard Mousasi, Bi Nguyen, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, Aleksei Oleinik, Rousimar Palhares, Jimmie Rivera, Charles Rosa, Thiago Santos, Cleiton Silva, Wanderlei Silva, Julio Spadaccini, Andre Soukhamthath, Roggers Souza, Gabriel Souza Galindo, and Jeremy Stephens.
Rising stars from regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America have also found a home in the GFL, making it a melting pot of international talent. With an emphasis on style matchups that excite fans, the GFL is committed to delivering electrifying bouts. Their matchmaking strategy focuses on entertainment value while ensuring fighters’ safety and long-term career sustainability.
Between the team concept and giving out huge contracts to washed veterans that should have retired 5+ years ago… yeah, GFL is DOA. Hoping I’m wrong but I just don’t see this succeeding. More idiots throwing money at something they don’t understand.
Dana White isn’t viewing the GFL as competition to the UFC.
The GFL recently had its draft for its first-ever season which features several former UFC champions and legends of the sport. Yet, despite the promotion signing several well-known names in MMA, White doesn’t think they are a legitimate competitor to the UFC.
Instead, Dana White believes he’s built the UFC up in such a way that other combat sports leagues are no longer his competition. White says he’s now focused on competing with the big four professional sports, college football, and movies.
“I don’t think it’s blowing smoke, I think these guys are burning real cash. These guys are throwing a lot of money around and I love it. Good for the fighters, it’s good for them,” White said at the Power Slap press conference. “I don’t know anything about him or what their business plan is, but no I don’t consider any combat sports my competition. My competition is the NFL, college football, soccer, big movies that come out on Saturday. I don’t look at other combat sports and look at them as competitors.”
It is interesting that Dana White isn’t viewing the GFL as real competition. He also didn’t say anything bad about them, as he has about the PFL in the past, but White thinks the UFC has gotten past combat sports and is now competing against more mainstream events and sports.
Darren Owen is running the GFL and he says the promotion will be making the fights people want to see.
Owen mentioned a trilogy between Urijah Faber and Renan Barao, as well as a rematch between Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman as potential fights. Along with that, Owen mentions a potential fight between former interim UFC champ Tony Ferguson and Dillon Danis as a potential bout.
“We can make the fights that people want to see and we’re listening to everybody.” Darren Owen said to Ariel Helwani. “Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis, that may be something that comes to fruition. So, we’re down to make the fights. I’m a diehard fan, I love the sport more than anything and I’ve always kind of prided myself on making exciting matchups and matchups that people want to see. That’s first and foremost what we’re going to do, deliver the fights people want.”
However, despite the GFL signing plenty of well-known fighters, Dana White still isn’t viewing them as competition.