Mailbag: OK, what exactly is going on with GFL? Plus, Paul Hughes and the Fight of the Year!

This previous weekend was a uncommon off week for the UFC, however luckily, the remainder of the fight sports activities world did its half to fill the void, with each PFL and BKFC internet hosting occasions, and even the brand new child on the block, International Combat League, received in on the enjoyable with their promotional “draft” on Friday. So, let’s discuss a surprisingly eventful weekend on the earth of fist-fighting.

OK, What’s the take care of the GFL?

“What’s a most non-zero variety of occasions you suppose GFL will run?”

Oh, GFL. The place do I start?

On Friday, the GFL held it’s inaugural “draft,” with the six groups every deciding on 20 fighters to take part within the upcoming season. Besides that isn’t in any respect what occurred. We had been promised a draft and what we received a shambolic catastrophe of practically unparalleled proportions.

First off, this was not a draft. The “first general choose” was Tyron Woodley, to the Dubai staff and there’s not a sane individual on the earth who would draft Woodley first general. He’s 42 years previous and has misplaced six fights in a row! That instantly tipped the hand that this wasn’t an actual draft and Sage Northcutt going second eliminated all doubt. These six groups had been clearly established beforehand and the draft and this was merely a advertising and marketing gimmick. That instantly left a nasty style in my mouth.

On prime of that, this was one of the shoddily produced issues I’ve ever seen. The “draft” solely lasted 4 rounds earlier than they only revealed the complete groups, and even then they always screwed issues up. Yoel Romero was “drafted” within the third spherical, however Darren Owen’s pre-recorded message left that out, so Mike Goldberg talked about it the viewers, besides 5 minutes later they lastly performed a video bundle of Jon Jones asserting the Romero choose! That’s inconceivably dangerous manufacturing, and it wasn’t the one occasion. After they deserted the pretend draft completely, they nonetheless ran a clip of Christian McCaffrey asserting a choose from the twelfth spherical, as a result of why not?

All of it was made worse by bringing out the ghosts of MMA previous to function the panel for this farce. It’s not 2010 so why is your A-Staff Robin Black, Mike Goldberg, and Brendan Schaub? Schaub repeatedly referred to as guys like Kevin Lee and Sage Northcutt “prospects,” Black pretended Gegard Mousasi was nonetheless related, and Goldberg waxed poetic concerning the UFC and all these old-ass fighters he is aware of. Who was this for?!

And naturally there’s the problems with the fighters themselves. The typical fighter age is sort of 36 years previous and lots of those folks frankly shouldn’t be preventing anymore. Heck, a very good portion of the fighters are/had been retired earlier than this got here alongside. That doesn’t precisely breed confidence.

However the worst a part of all of this was what occurred after. There have been loads of rumors about GFL signing fighters who had been already underneath contract or didn’t conform to signal, however following the “draft” much more particular cases got here to gentle. Rashad Evans was drafted by Los Angeles after which instantly denied he was taking part, resulting in GFL eradicating him from its graphics.

There’s loads extra I might criticize concerning the GFL draft, but when I did so this might be a ten,000-word mailbag, and nobody desires that. Suffice it to say, Friday night time eliminated all doubt from me that the GFL just isn’t a severe group and I’ll frankly be stunned in the event that they maintain any occasions in any respect. And in the event that they do, I strongly encourage each fighter to receives a commission up entrance.

Another GFL factor

“While you consider the way forward for preventing, 45 yr previous Uriah Faber is the very first thing that involves thoughts proper? What does success appear like for The GFL (Geriatric Combat League)?”

I spent an inordinate period of time fascinated about GFL through the travesty of a launch that was the GFL draft and truthfully, I nonetheless don’t know what that is. When Darren Owen first introduced it I assumed, “OK, they’re remaking the IFL, which received’t work however that’s a factor that occurs in MMA promotion on a regular basis.” Now, I merely don’t imagine that to be true.

I don’t know what the GFL is, but it surely’s not an actual struggle promotion. So I got here up with just a few options that make extra sense to me than this being an MMA promotion with severe aspirations for fulfillment, and ordered them from most to least probably, in my view (for the sake of being optimistic, I’m selecting to view regardless of the PFL is as an sincere enterprise as an alternative of a grift however maybe I’m being too optimistic).

1. This isn’t an precise struggle promotion, however an elaborate advertising and marketing scheme for an MMA online game. Again earlier than EA made the UFC video games, there was a generic MMA sport, and that is attempting to do one thing related, maybe in a cell model.
2. This isn’t an precise struggle promotion, however an elaborate advertising and marketing scheme for a cryptocurrency or NFT assortment.
3. That is an elaborate scientific experiment to find out simply how succesful AI at the moment is at challenge administration. As a substitute of getting a CEO make selections, Owen simply sorts stuff into ChatGPT and goes with what it says. That’s the way you get the commentary sales space for the draft.
4. Owen believes a very powerful a part of struggle promotion is having a theme music, and as soon as he received that achieved, he figured the remainder would simply fall into place.
5. This can be a false flag operation from Donn Davis and the PFL to make their selections and promotion look good as compared.

So, to reply the query, in eventualities 1-4, success just isn’t dropping thousands and thousands of {dollars} and ending up in jail for failure to pay money owed. For situation 5, that is already an enormous triumph.

Paul Hughes and the Combat of the 12 months

“How do you suppose Paul Hughes would fare within the UFC?”

Actually, very well.

In case you missed it, over in PFL on Saturday, Paul Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov placed on the Combat of the 12 months to date, with Usman eking out a majority choice win that ruffled lots of feathers. I don’t suppose the choice qualifies as a theft (I scored it a draw with the purpose deduction in Spherical 3) however it’s a kind of selections the place Nurmagomedov might have received the MMA bout however Hughes received the struggle. He’s actually the one folks had been speaking about within the aftermath, partially due to his superior Robbie Lawler-esque image staring down Nurmagomedov.

Hughes was an enormous free agent signing final yr when PFL landed him and he had a little bit of a breakout together with his win over A.J. McKee, however this was actually the Irishman’s popping out social gathering. Nurmagomedov is likely one of the 10 greatest lightweights on Earth for the time being and Hughes gave him all he might deal with and arguably received the struggle. He confirmed unimaginable takedown protection and scrambling capability, terrific cardio and sturdiness, and a imply streak which all one of the best fighters have. This can be a younger man who was born to scrap and he simply proved he can in opposition to the most effective in his division.

I see no cause to suppose Hughes wouldn’t have a ton of success if he out of the blue jumped into the deep finish of the UFC’s light-weight division tomorrow (and identical for Nurmagomedov). Light-weight is one of the best and deepest division within the sport however the names on the prime of it are all on their final legs, and Hughes could be in prime place to leap in and make noise instantly.

The issue at light-weight is at all times, are you able to even get the chance? To get a shot on the prime 15, lightweights need to put collectively extremely spectacular runs, and whereas I like Hughes’s probabilities in opposition to lots of 155ers, it’s on no account a assure. Anybody within the prime 30 can beat anybody else within the prime 30. However for Hughes, together with his title already ringing out, he would possibly get an instantaneous shot at a prime title and it’s 50/50 or higher he can get the win after which be a made man. I can’t wait to see it in just a few years.

PFL

“Outdoors of reserving a rematch of the principle occasion in Belfast what can pfl do to capitalize on what looks like legit momentum and pleasure?”

I did a post-fight present for this occasion and mentioned that not solely was Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes the Combat of the 12 months, it was additionally the best struggle in PFL historical past. I stand by that. By my estimation, that is the only largest factor PFL has ever achieved and it’s vital they construct off of it.

Talking frankly, PFL doesn’t draw a ton of curiosity. Even the championships, the place $1 million checks are handed out, often go over like a lead balloon. This was totally different. I don’t know if it was simply this specific matchup and the construct to it, however folks cared about PFL in a manner that I haven’t seen for the reason that night time Kayla Harrison misplaced. Even earlier than the principle occasion, folks had been , and had been tuning in, after which once they did, they received to see one of the best struggle of the yr, with all of the drama that ensued. It could be a stretch to say that is the PFL’s Final Fighter Finale second, however I don’t know, possibly it might be.

The factor is, PFL wants to have the ability to construct off this. There have been numerous moments the place PFL gained some type of momentum after which adopted it up with garbo heavyweight fights within the season format. Don’t do this. Please. I’m begging.

If Donn Davis calls me up and says, “Hey, Jed, you’re the PFL Minister of Enjoyable. How can we take advantage of out of this good vitality?” I’m telling him two issues. First, guide the rematch for Belfast. E book it now. Get the deal achieved for late Spring or early Summer time, and provides this a full court docket promotional press. I’m speaking world tour, late night time TV exhibits, the works. You most likely can’t get Usman on Jimmy Fallon, however possibly you may get Paul Hughes. Be sure that folks know we’re doing this once more, in Belfast, and don’t allow them to overlook how nice the struggle was. That’s job No. 1.

Job No. 2 is reserving your subsequent occasion. Proper now the subsequent factor I see on the PFL docket is the beginning of its event collection in April. Unacceptable. There are two UFC APEX occasions in March. Dakota Ditcheva must be preventing any individual, anyone on a kind of dates, ideally in England.

The easy reality is that PFL most likely can’t succeed anyway. The UFC has astonishing, overwhelming monopsony energy within the MMA market. However this might be an actual spark for PFL to truly make some noise in a significant manner. I hope they don’t fumble it as a result of we’d like different legit MMA organizations for fighters to have as choices.

Thanks for studying and due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you may have any burning questions on issues at the very least considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definately’re in luck as a result of you possibly can ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply my favourite ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.