The Rise and Fall of the GFL
MMA’s newest promotion tapped out before even running a fight
The MMA Notebook runs every Friday.
In this edition:
GFL proved to be a fraud
UFC 314 features incredibly loaded card
Weekend predictions
GFL proves to be nothing more than a scam
As soon as news broke that the Global Fight League was launching, an immediate question came to mind:
Who was funding it?
The answer, as it turns out, is as ugly as you think: there was never enough money.
In what amounts to a serious black eye for MMA as a whole, GFL canceled its inaugural events set for next month. That was followed by GFL founder Darren Owen revealing that he was having problems with investors, exposing the truth: the GFL is destined to never run a single fight. The entire situation reeks of a con artist getting caught, but the fighters who committed to this promotion are the ones that will suffer the consequences.
Right from the start, there were concerns. GFL was built around a team format, which historically never draws in MMA. There was no media rights deal. And with centerpiece stars Tony Ferguson and Gegard Mousasi, the roster’s greatest value was name recognition from past glory.
Of course, it was worrisome that the promotion continued to acquire fighters. Even if they weren’t the stars they once were, there was Chris Weidman–who was set to fight Luke Rockhold. Anthony Pettis was on board for a bout against Benson Henderson. And more–Urijah Faber. Holly Holm. Paige VanZant.
And there was the promise of high paydays.
How could this possibly go wrong?
But even the most cynical MMA observer had a rooting interest in the GFL. It was entertainment for the fans and paychecks for the fighters.
Still, it was not a shock on Wednesday when the news broke–by Twitter account FightOracle–that the inaugural events weren’t happening. That was the first domino to fall. Without proper funding, the writing on the wall quickly became clear. The GFL is no more, the latest fraud to get knocked out by false promises and a lack of accountability.
A new promotion would have added a much-needed alternative to MMA. In a realm dominated by the UFC, fighters would have had another viable option, which has become even less of a possibility ever since PFL purchased Bellator. Yet all that optimism was replaced by deception. That will cause a lasting consequence for the fighters, some of whom requested a release specifically to compete in the GFL.
Owen claimed he was on a relentless drive to evolve and elevate the sport, yet in a cruel twist of irony, all he did was set it back. Ultimately, the fighters look foolish for believing Owen’s scam, and they are responsible for that. But don’t pin all the blame on them–they were promised that the checks would cash. Over time, we’ll see what kind of other promises Owen made, too. And in an industry that desperately needs another viable competitor, it all sounded too good to be true.
Despite the fact that is the men and women in the cage who power this sport, they are too frequently treated like an afterthought. They were taken advantage of here, offered something their promoter could not deliver.
In the end, it is the fighters who suffer.
A featherweight title bout, Chandler-Pimblett, Mitchell-Silva, and the debut of Patrício Pitbull all part of UFC 314
On paper, UFC 314 is the most compelling fight card of the year.
With Ilia Topuria changing weight classes, a new featherweight champion will be crowned when Alexander Volkanovski battles Diego Lopes. It is a fantastic matchup, with Volkanovski seeking to reclaim the division one last time while Lopes looks to start a whole new era as champ.
Since losing to Topuria 14 months ago, Volkanovski hit pause. He rested, recovered, and trained, putting in the work for one more run atop the division. At 36 years old, and coming off back-to-back knockout losses, the odds are certainly against him. It is Lopes’ time, especially after what he saw him rip Brian Ortega apart last fall. It is remarkable that Lopes enters this bout as an underdog.
Do with that information what you will.
Top to bottom, the whole card is fascinating. The prelims feature Jim Miller attempting to stave off father time in his fight against Chase Hooper, as well as Dan Ige against Sean Woodson. Then the main card begins with Dominick Reyes looking to win his third in a row, and we’ll get a better sense of whether Nikita Krylov is a legit force at light heavyweight. There is Jean Silva-Bryce Mitchell, where the vast majority want to see Silva put Mitchell to sleep, and the long-awaited UFC debut of Patrício Pitbull, who fights Yair Rodríguez.
Rodríguez and Lopes got into a heated argument during the press conference. If both those fighters win at 314, then it instantly sets up a rematch (the same can be said if they both lose). That overlooks Patrício “Pitbull” Freire, who is one of the greatest to ever compete in a Bellator cage. The concern, however, is that Freire, 37, waited too long to come to UFC. That is valid, and he will immediately be tested by Rodríguez.
There is also a captivating co-main event with Michael Chandler against Paddy Pimblett. This is, by far, the biggest challenge in Pimblett’s career. It is also a chance for Chandler to call out Conor McGregor (again) if he wins. We’ll have a far better sense after the fight of whether Pimblett is elite, but I believe he is–and that he’ll win this bout.
Powered by two former Bellator stars, this is the type of card we’ve been waiting for all year. Tomorrow night can’t come fast enough.
The Pick ‘Em Section
UFC 314 featherweight title bout: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes
Pick: Diego Lopes
UFC 314 lightweight bout: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
Pick: Paddy Pimblett
UFC 314 featherweight bout: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva
Pick: Jean Silva
UFC 314 featherweight bout: Yair Rodríguez vs. Patrício Pitbull
Pick: Patrício Pitbull
UFC 314 light heavyweight bout: Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
Pick: Dominick Reyes
UFC 314 featherweight bout: Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
Pick: Dan Ige
UFC 314 women’s strawweight bout: Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba
Pick: Yan Xiaonan
UFC 314 lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
Pick: Jim Miller