The first-ever fighter draft for Global Fight League (GFL) unfolded earlier tonight (Fri., Jan. 24, 2025) from inside Van Wagner Studios in Phoenix, Arizona, and fight fans can now check out the official 2025 rosters for all six teams.
It has taken GFL a bit longer than expected to put everything in place for a 2025 rollout, but Friday’s draft was the first major hurdle to overcome. The league will feature a total of six teams, which have selected 20 fighters each from a large pool of 420 athletes hailing from 67 countries. This includes former UFC champions, former Bellator champions, and some real legends of mixed martial arts (MMA).
Yes, some of the aforementioned legends probably shouldn’t be fighting.
Some picks were leaked to begin the draft broadcast, but the shows still went on as planned. After the conclusion of Round 5, GFL decided to release the official rosters for all six teams (although New York was late to come in). Check them out below and let us know which team you think has the best lineup for 2025!
Team Dubai
Manager: Cain Velasquez
Coach: Javier Mendez
Ali Isaev — heavyweight
Todd Duffee — heavyweight
Ronny Markes — light heavyweight
Omari Akhmedov — light heavyweight
Luke Rockhold — middleweight
Derek Brunson — middleweight
Tyron Woodley — welterweight
Abubakar Nurmagomedov — welterweight
Tofiq Musayev — lightweight
Damir Ismagulov — lightweight
Khumoyun Tukhtamurodov — featherweight
Adilet Numatov — featherweight
Timur Valiev — bantamweight
Farbod Iran Nezhad — bantamweight
Arlene Blencowe — women’s bantamweight
Alexa Conners — women’s bantamweight
Randi Field — strawweight
Faine Mesquita — strawweight
Jessica Aguilar — atomweight
Anastasia Nikolakakos — atomweight
Team London
Manager: Luke Barnatt
Coach: Carl Prince
Tanner Boser — heavyweight
Stuart Austin — heavyweight
Ilir Latifi — light heavyweight
Alexander Gustafsson — light heavyweight
Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz — middleweight
Gegard Mousasi — middleweight
Norman Parke — welterweight
Danny Roberts — welterweight
Tim Wilde — lightweight
Benson Henderson — lightweight
Mike Grundy — featherweight
Brett Johns — featherweight
Josh Hill — bantamweight
Cameron Else — bantamweight
Pannie Kianzad — women’s bantamweight
Julia Budd — women’s bantamweight
Karolina Owczarz — strawweight
Josefine Knutsson — strawweight
Kelly Staddon — atomweight
Chiara Penco — atomweight
Team Los Angeles
Manager: Wanderlei Silva
Coach: Rafael Cordeiro
Andrei Arlovski — heavyweight
Frank Mir — heavyweight
Rashad Evans — light heavyweight
Da Woon Jung — light heavyweight
Uriah Hall — middleweight
Grant Neal — middleweight
Louis Glismann — welterweight
Lorenz Larkin — welterweight
Tony Ferguson — lightweight
Sage Northcutt — lightweight
Tyler Diamond — featherweight
Chad Mendes — featherweight
Urijah Faber — bantamweight
Ray Borg — bantamweight
Leslie Smith — women’s bantamweight
Aspen Ladd — women’s bantamweight
Cynthia Calvillo — strawweight
Ilima-Lei Macfarlane — strawweight
Jessica Penne — atomweight
Cory McKenna — atomweight
Team Miami
Manager: Thiago Alves
Coach: Conan Silveira
Junior dos Santos — heavyweight
Robelis Despaigne — heavyweight
Thiago Santos — light heavyweight
Philipe Lins — light heavyweight
Yoel Romero — middleweight
Hector Lombard — middleweight
Gleison Tibau — welterweight
Dilano Taylor — welterweight
Jeremy Stephens — lightweight
Anthony Pettis — lightweight
Charles Rosa — featherweight
Andre Harrison — featherweight
Marlon Moraes — bantamweight
Eric Shelton — bantamweight
Mariya Agapova — women’s bantamweight
Cat Zingano — women’s bantamweight
Paige VanZant — strawweight
Hannah Goldy — strawweight
Natasha Kuziutina — atomweight
Kayla Kracho — atomweight
Team New York
Manager: TBD
Coach: Ray Longo
Kevin Lee – lightweight
Chris Weidman – middleweight
Holly Holm – women’s bantamweight
Melissa Amaya – women’s strawweight
Kai Kamaka III – featherweight
Bi Nguyen – women’s atomweight
Marisa Messer-Belenchia – women’s atomweight
Miao Ding – women’s strawweight
Liana Jojua – women’s bantamweight
Jimmie Rivera – bantamweight
Zviad Lazishvili – bantamweight
Lance Palmer – featherweight
Sidney Outlaw – lightweight
Neiman Gracie – welterweight
Dillon Danis – welterweight
Phillip Hawes – middleweight
Devin Clark – light heavyweight
Ovince Saint Preux – light heavyweight
Alan Belcher – heavyweight
Aleksei Oleinik – heavyweight
Team Sao Paulo
Manager: Lyoto Machida
Coach: Andre Pederneiras
Joice Mara – atomweight
Camila Reynoso – strawweight
Viviane Araujo – strawweight
Alejandra Lara – bantamweight
Paula Bittencourt – bantamweight
Raphael Assuncao – bantamweight
Renan Barao – bantamweight
Julio Arce – featherweight
Maike Linhares – featherweight
Patricky Freire – lightweight
Lucas Martins – lightweight
Alex Oliveira – welterweight
Carlos Petruzzella – welterweight
Alan Patrick – middleweight
Douglas Lima – middleweight
Antonio Carlos Junior – light heavyweight
Mauricio Rua – light heavyweight
Bruno Cappelozza – heavyweight
Fabricio Werdum – heavyweight
Pamela Mara – women’s atomweight
Stick with Mania for more GFL 2025 roster and fight card news.
