The Global Fighting League (GFL) is facing significant challenges in launching its operations. Fans have expressed little surprise following the cancellation of their initial events, as serious questions arise about the promotion`s viability.
GFL, a new mixed martial arts organization, had announced its first events for May 24th and 25th. These events were intended to mark the start of their fight season.
One of the planned events was to feature a headline fight between Tony Ferguson and Dillon Danis. Paige VanZant was also scheduled to make her first MMA appearance since leaving the UFC on the card.
However, the debut events began to unravel as several fighters withdrew from their scheduled bouts. Fabricio Werdum, for example, cited a lack of motivation for pulling out of his planned return.
Fans React to GFL Event Postponement with Little Surprise
Despite the events being just weeks away, the announcement came this Monday that they were being postponed due to a shortfall in investment. This development has cast considerable doubt over the entire future of the GFL promotion.
Darren Owen, the founder of GFL, stated to Uncrowned that the primary investor failed to meet their financial obligations for April, leading directly to the event cancellations.
Owen also mentioned that the promotion is now aiming to launch its first events towards the end of June, dependent on securing the necessary investment.
Nevertheless, fans have largely reacted without surprise to this latest delay. The promotion has faced scrutiny since its initial announcement, particularly regarding the reportedly high salaries offered to some fighters.
One fan commented, “I feel bad for all the fighters who turned down other opportunities to sign with GFL. This is very unfortunate and needs to stop. Fighters deserve better treatment.”
Another fan speculated, “They probably realized the fighters they signed are too old and prone to injury during training camps, and might just retire.”
A third fan added, “It seemed doomed from the beginning after their `draft` fiasco. It`s a shame because many fighters will not receive the money they were contracted for.”
Dillon Danis Responds to GFL`s Second Postponement
Dillon Danis, despite a relatively short MMA career, is a well-known and often controversial figure in the sport. He was scheduled to face Tony Ferguson, who has been in declining form, in the main event on May 25th.
In response to the postponement, Danis posted on X, saying, “Bro, I just wanna f—— fight. What the f—.”
However, Danis, who remains undefeated, expressed confidence that his fight with Ferguson, nicknamed ‘El Cucuy’, will be rescheduled and will eventually happen.
Danis further claimed, “Just got word, don’t believe everything you hear. My fight with Tony Ferguson is still on.”
