When the Global Fight League (GFL) was announced in 2024, many people were doubtful. This was partly because they signed many famous fighters and also because a very similar idea had been announced in 2021 but failed.
In 2021, Darren Owen, previously an executive at World Series of Fighting, planned a team-based league called WFL. It never happened. Then in 2024, Owen came back with almost the same plan, now called GFL. This time, many fighters signed contracts, including former UFC champions like Tyron Woodley, Luke Rockhold, and Chris Weidman.
Soon after GFL announced its first two events in Los Angeles, they were canceled. This made people seriously question if the new organization would ever actually start.
Retired UFC fighter Matt Brown said on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, “It`s disappointing. This feels like a story we`ve seen many times before.”
Unfortunately, many MMA organizations have failed, but GFL didn`t even begin, as its first events were already canceled.
Darren Owen stated he is still looking for money to launch GFL in 2025. However, many fighters who signed with GFL have already left.
Paige VanZant posted on Instagram that she is a “free agent.” Alan Belcher, a former UFC and BKFC champion, said GFL offered him a fight, but only with a revenue share instead of a guaranteed payment.
Brown called GFL a “mess.” He added, “It`s bad because we need more MMA organizations and more competition. Someone needs to succeed, but it`s a very difficult business. I`m not sure it will ever work. It doesn`t look promising at all.”
Brown questioned how GFL got investors. “When starting a business and seeking investment, you usually show a proof of concept and do market research. Are investors even paying attention? This situation is so common. We`ve seen this failure many times.”
GFL`s promised fighter payouts were never officially announced, but some fighters mentioned very high potential earnings. This might explain why many famous fighters signed with GFL before any events took place.
Brown understands that with limited options besides the UFC, fighters might risk signing with GFL. However, he was always skeptical and wonders why managers didn`t do more research before advising their fighters.
Brown said, “I don`t understand why anyone believed in it.” He continued, “Hopefully, they can fix things. There`s not much more to say. We`ve seen this happen so often. I hope fighters realize what GFL really was.”
Brown added, “If fighters didn`t realize, it`s likely because of their bad managers. The managers in MMA are often the worst. They are a major problem in situations like this.”
Brown admits there are some good fighter managers, but after 15 years in the UFC, he has also seen many bad ones.
Brown knows he was lucky to spend most of his career in the UFC, but most fighters won`t have that chance. He hopes other organizations like PFL succeed, but he thinks the UFC might become the only major MMA promotion.
Brown said, “I wish someone could make it work. It`s a tough business, but someone needs to figure it out.”
Brown praised Dana White and the UFC for building the sport into a powerhouse from almost nothing. He believes there isn`t much room for other major MMA organizations because the UFC is so dominant.
