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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.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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