Global Fight League (GFL) began its build toward a big MMA debut on Friday night.
The new GFL promotion is expected to launch in April with a team format similar to the old IFL days. But before teams collide and fights are made, rosters have to be set. That’s where the GFL draft came into play on Jan. 24.
The three-hour draft was loaded with appearances from MMA legends, among both fighters and coaches. Mike Goldberg, Brendan Schaub, Robin Black, and Caroline Pearce hosted the evening, with GFL founder Darren Owen announcing most of the picks before the draft format was abandoned following Round 4. Full team rosters were subsequently revealed. Unfortunately, the GFL draft process and how teams received their order was never explained.
The overall GFL draft pool consisted of more than 420 eligible fighters, with 120 ultimately selected for each of the six GFL teams worldwide. Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley was the first overall selection, picked by Team Dubai. Gegard Mousasi, Sage Northcutt, Junior dos Santos, Kevin Lee and Fabricio Werdum made up the rest of the Round 1 picks.
Ultimately, everything appears to be ready for the April launch. The six-team rosters are shown in their entirety below.
GFL teams drafting:
Dubai – Manager: Cain Velasquez, Coach: Javier Mendez
1. Tyron Woodley
2. Abubakar Nurmagomedov
3. Derek Brunson
4. Ali Isaev
Anastasia Nikolakakos
Alexa Connors
Adilet Nurmatov
Omari Akhmedov
Jessica Aguilar
Arlene Blencowe
Khumoyun Tukhtamuradov
Ronny Markes
Faine Mesquita
Farbod Iran Nezhad
Damir Ismagulov
Randi Field
Timur Valiev
Tofiq Musayev
Luke Rockhold
Todd Duffee
London – Manager: Luke Barnatt, Coach: Carl Prince
1. Gegard Mousasi
2. Alexander Gustafsson
3. Josefine Knutsson
4. Brett Johns
Chiara Penco
Julia Budd
Danny Roberts
Kelly Staddon
Pannie Kianzad
Mike Grundy
Norman Parke
Ilir Latifi
Cameron Else
Benson Henderson
Stuart Austin
Karolina Owczarz
Josh Hill
Tim Wilde
Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz
Tanner Boser
Los Angeles – Manager: Wanderlei Silva, Coach: Rafael Cordeiro
1. Sage Northcutt
2. Aspen Ladd
3. Tony Ferguson
4. Urijah Faber
Cory McKenna
Chad Mendes
Lorenz Larkin
Da Woon Jung
Jessica Penne
Leslie Smith
Tyler Diamond
Louis Glismnan
Rashad Evans
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane
Ray Borg
Grant Neal
Frank Mir
Cynthia Calvillo
Uriah Hall
Andrei Arlovski
Miami – Manager: Thiago Alves, Coach: Conan Silveira
1. Junior dos Santos
2. Anthony Pettis
3. Yoel Romero
4. Natasha Kuziuitina
Kayla Hracho
Cat Zingano
Andre Harrison
Dilano Taylor
Philipe Lins
Mariya Agapova
Charles Rosa
Gleison Tibau
Thiago Santos
Hannah Goldy
Eric Shelton
Hector Lombard
Robelis Despaigne
Paige VanZant
Marlon Moraes
Jeremy Stephens
New York – Manager: TBA, Coach: Ray Longo
1. Kevin Lee
2. Chris Weidman
3. Holly Holm
4. Melissa Amaya
Bi Nguyen
Lance Palmer
Neiman Gracie
Devin Clark
Marisa Messer-Belenchia
Liana Jojua
Kai Kamaka III
Dillon Danis
Ovince Saint Preux
Jimmie Rivera
Sidney Outlaw
Phillip Hawes
Alan Belcher
Miao Ding
Zviad Lazishvili
Aleksei Oleynik
Sao Paulo – Manager: Lyoto Machida, Coach: Andre Pederneiras
1. Fabricio Werdum
2. Douglas Lima
3. Carlos Petruzella
4. Camila Reynoso
Joice Mara
Alejandra Lara
Julio Arce
Alex Oliveira
Antonio Carlos Junior
Pamelo Mara
Paula Bittencourt
Maike Linhares
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Raphael Assuncao
Patricky Pitbull
Alan Patrick
Bruno Cappelozza
Viviane Pereira
Renan Barao
Lucas Martins
GFL draft live blog recap:
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