Tyron Woodley is the first overall draft pick in the inaugural GFL Draft. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Global Fight League (GFL) began its build toward a big MMA debut Friday night.
The new GFL promotion is set to launch in April with a team format similar to the old IFL days. But before the teams collide and the fights are made, the rosters must be settled. That’s where the GFL Draft came into play on January 24th.
The three-hour draft was loaded with appearances from MMA Legends, among the fighters and coaches. Mike Goldberg, Brendan Schaub, Robin Black and Caroline Pearce hosted the party, with GFL founder Darren Owen announcing most of the picks before the draft format was abandoned after Round 4. Full team rosters were revealed subsequently. Unfortunately, the GFL draft process and how the teams received their order was never explained.
The overall GFL Draft pool consisted of over 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, chosen 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 seems to be ready for the April launch. The rosters for six teams are shown in full below.
Drafted GFL teams:
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 Valev
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
parke norman
Ilir latifi
Cameron else
Benson Henderson
Stuart Austin
Karolina Owczarz
Josh Hill
Tim Wilde
Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz
Tanner scholarship
Los Angeles – Manager: Wanderlei Silva, Coach: Rafael Cordeiro
Sao Paulo – Manager: Lyoto Machida, coach: Andre Pederneiras
1. Fabricio werdum
2. Douglas Lima
3. Carlos Petruzella
4. Camila Reynoso
Joy Mara
Alejandra Lara
Julio Arce
Alex Oliveira
Antonio Carlos Junior
Pamela Mara
Paula Bittencourt
Maike Linhares
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Raphael Assuncao
Patrick Pitbull
Alan Patrick
Bruno Cappelozza
Viviane Pereira
Renan Barao
Lucas Martins
GFL Draft Live Blog Recap:
Live coverage is over36 updates
That officially concludes three hours of interesting MMA writing, people.
Chris Weidman addressed his retirement from the UFC this past weekend. He highlighted rematches with Luke Rockhold and Uriah Hall as reasons to want to continue fighting.
New York Final Member Team
Binguyen
Lance Palmer
Neiman Gracie
Devin Clark
Marisa Messer-Belenchia
Liana Jojua
Kai Kamaka III
Dillon Danis
Ovince Saint Preux
Jimmy Rivera
Sidney Outlaw
Philip Hawes
Alan Belcher
Miao ding
Zviad Lazishvili
Aleksei Oley
Team Sao Paulo Final Members
Joy Mara
Alejandra Lara
Julio Arce
Alex Oliveira
Antonio Carlos Junior
Pamela Mara
Paula Bittencourt
Maike Linhares
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Raphael Assuncao
Patrick Pitbull
Alan Patrick
Bruno Cappelozza
Viviane Pereira
Renan Barao
Lucas Martins
Anthony Pettis says he is most interested in a Tony Ferguson rematch.
Members of Team Miami’s final squad
Kayla Hracho
Zingano cat
Andre Harrison
Dilano Taylor
Philippe Lins
Maria Agapova
Charles Rosa
Gleison Tibau
Thiago Santos
Hannah Goldy
Eric Shelton
Hector Lombard
Robelis Despaigne
Paige Vanzant
Marlon Moraes
Jeremy Stephens
Team London Final Team Members
Chiara Penco
Julia Budd
Danny Roberts
Kelly Staddon
Pannie Kianzad
Mike Grundy
parke norman
Ilir latifi
Cameron else
Benson Henderson
Stuart Austin
Karolina Owczarz
Josh Hill
Tim Wilde
Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz
Tanner scholarship
Tony Ferguson says he’s also offered a boxing match since the UFC split.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey announced “Round 11” pick Grant Neal despite GFL announcing the team’s full roster for Los Angeles directly beforehand.
Team Los Angeles Final Team Members Squad
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
Urie room
Andrei Arlovsky
Team Final Team Members Team
Anastasia Nikolakakos
Alexa Connors
ADILET NURMATOV
Omari Akhmedov
Jessica Aguilar
Arlene Blencowe
Khumoyun tukhtamuradov
Tyron Woodley
Ronny Markes
Faine Mesquita
Farbod Iran Nezhad
Damir Ismagulov
randi field
Timur Valev
Tofiq Musayev
Luke Rockhold
Todd Duffee
Former WSOF bantamweight champion and former UFC contender Marlon Moraes gets a quick interview. It has not yet been written.
Round 4, Pick 4, 5 and 6
Team London takes on Bantamweight and featherweight veteran Brett Johns.
Team Los Angeles takes former WEC Featherweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber.
Team Dubai takes undefeated heavyweight prospect Ali Isaev.
I don’t know how long this will continue, considering each team is supposed to have 20 fighters.
Round 4, Pick 1, 2 and 3
Team New York takes on strawweight prospect Melissa Amaya.
Team Sao Paulo takes on flyweight prospect Camila Reynoso.
Team Miami takes on strawweight prospect Natasha Kuziuitina.
It only got wilder. UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones sent out a video for pick Yoel Romero.
Round 3, Pick 4, 5 and 6
Team Sao Paulo takes welterweight prospect Carlos Petruzella.
Team New York takes former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm.
Team Miami takes on former two-time UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero.
Round 3, Pick 1, 2 and 3
Team Dubai takes former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson.
Team Los Angeles takes interim UFC champion Tony Ferguson.
Team London takes strawweight prospect Josefine Knutsson.
Round 2, choose 6
Team Dubai takes on UFC and PFL veteran Abubakar Nurmagomedov.
Round 2, choose 5
Team Los Angeles takes UFC and PFL veteran Aspen Ladd.
