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, bought 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 cope with the GFL?

“What’s a most non-zero variety of occasions you assume 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 have been promised a draft and what we bought a shambolic catastrophe of practically unparalleled proportions.

First off, this was not a draft. The “first overall pick” was Tyron Woodley, to the Dubai workforce and there’s not a sane individual on the earth who would draft Woodley first general. He’s 42 years outdated and has misplaced six fights in a row!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 have been clearly established beforehand and the draft and this was merely a advertising and marketing gimmick. That instantly left a foul style in my mouth.

On prime of that, this was one of the crucial shoddily produced issues I’ve ever seen. The “draft” solely lasted 4 rounds earlier than they simply revealed the complete groups, and even then they continuously 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 package deal of Jon Jones saying the Romero choose! That’s inconceivably dangerous manufacturing, and it wasn’t the one occasion. After they deserted the pretend draft totally, they nonetheless ran a clip of Christian McCaffrey saying 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 in regards to 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 average fighter age is nearly 36 years old and quite a bit of those individuals frankly shouldn’t be preventing anymore. Heck, a great portion of the fighters are/have 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 have been already beneath 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 immediately denied he was participating, resulting in GFL eradicating him from its graphics.

There may be loads extra I may criticize in regards to 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 is just not a severe group and I’ll frankly be stunned in the event that they maintain any occasions in anyway. And in the event that they do, I strongly encourage each fighter to receives a commission up entrance.

Another GFL factor

“If you consider the way forward for preventing, 45 yr outdated 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 desirous about GFL through the travesty of a launch that was the GFL draft and actually, I nonetheless don’t know what that is. When Darren Owen first introduced it I assumed, “OK, they’re remaking the IFL, which gained’t work however that’s a factor that occurs in MMA promotion on a regular basis.” Now, I merely don’t consider that to be true.

I don’t know what the GFL is, nevertheless it’s not an actual battle 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 possible, in my view (for the sake of being optimistic, I’m selecting to view regardless of the PFL is as an trustworthy enterprise as a substitute of a grift however maybe I’m being too optimistic).

1. This isn’t an precise battle 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 recreation, and that is attempting to do one thing related, maybe in a cellular model.
2. This isn’t an precise battle 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 present is at venture administration. As an alternative of getting a CEO make selections, Owen simply varieties 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 crucial a part of battle promotion is having a theme music, and as soon as he bought that achieved, he figured the remainder would simply fall into place.
5. It is 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 situations 1-4, success is just not shedding 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 Yr

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

Actually, rather well.

In case you missed it, over in PFL on Saturday, Paul Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov placed on the Combat of the Yr to this point, with Usman eking out a majority determination win that ruffled plenty of feathers. I don’t assume the choice qualifies as a theft (I scored it a draw with the purpose deduction in Spherical 3) however it’s a type of selections the place Nurmagomedov might have gained the MMA bout however Hughes gained the battle. He’s definitely the one individuals have been speaking about within the aftermath, partially due to his superior Robbie Lawler-esque picture staring down Nurmagomedov.

Hughes was a giant 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 occasion. Nurmagomedov is without doubt one of the 10 greatest lightweights on Earth in the mean time and Hughes gave him all he may deal with and arguably gained the battle. He confirmed unbelievable takedown protection and scrambling means, terrific cardio and sturdiness, and a imply streak which all the perfect fighters have. It is a younger man who was born to scrap and he simply proved he can in opposition to probably the greatest in his division.

I see no cause to assume Hughes wouldn’t have a ton of success if he instantly jumped into the deep finish of the UFC’s light-weight division tomorrow (and identical for Nurmagomedov). Lightweight is the perfect 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 straight away.

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 plenty of 155ers, it’s certainly not a assure. Anybody within the prime 30 can beat anybody else within the prime 30. However for Hughes, together with his identify already ringing out, he would possibly get an instantaneous shot at a prime identify 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 appears like legit momentum and pleasure?”

I did a post-fight show for this event and stated that not solely was Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes the Combat of the Yr, it was additionally the best battle in PFL historical past. I stand by that. By my estimation, that is the one greatest factor PFL has ever achieved and it’s crucial 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, steadily 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 individuals cared about PFL in a method that I haven’t seen because the night time Kayla Harrison misplaced. Even earlier than the principle occasion, individuals have been , and have been tuning in, after which after they did, they bought to see the perfect battle of the yr, with all of the drama that ensued. It might be a stretch to say that is the PFL’s Final Fighter Finale second, however I don’t know, possibly it may very well be.

The factor is, PFL wants to have the ability to construct off this. There have been varied moments the place PFL gained some form of momentum after which adopted it up with garbo heavyweight fights within the season format. Don’t try 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, ebook the rematch for Belfast. Guide it now. Get the deal achieved for late Spring or early Summer season, and provides this a full court docket promotional press. I’m speaking world tour, late night time TV exhibits, the works. You in all probability can’t get Usman on Jimmy Fallon, however possibly you may get Paul Hughes. Be sure that individuals know we’re doing this once more, in Belfast, and don’t allow them to neglect how nice the battle was. That’s job No. 1.

Job No. 2 is reserving your subsequent occasion. Proper now the following 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 type of dates, ideally in England.

The straightforward truth is that PFL in all probability can’t succeed anyway. The UFC has astonishing, overwhelming monopsony energy within the MMA market. However this may very well be an actual spark for PFL to truly make some noise in a significant method. I hope they don’t fumble it as a result of we’d like different respectable MMA organizations for fighters to have as choices.

Thanks for studying and due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you’ve got 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.