Tag: Urijah Faber

GFL draft results: Former UFC champions surprise with unexpected entries

Check out the GFL Draft results and see which of the hottest free agents and MMA legends were selected to compete in the inaugural year.

It’s not every day there’s an MMA draft, but Friday there was

The 2025 GFL Draft took place virtually with a live stream on MMA Junkie. Six teams, each representing a major city, drafted from a pool of approximately 500 fighters, including big-name free agents and rising prospects.

One-hundred-twenty athletes were be selected across 10 weight classes (heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, bantamweight, women’s bantamweight, women’s strawweight, and women’s atomweight). However, the weight classes are divided slightly differently than the traditional weight classes. The promotion says it’s an effort to combat weight cutting.

Click here to see which fighters are eligible for the draft.

The six teams are managed and coached by MMA notables, as follows: Dubai (manager Cain Velasquez and coach Javier Mendez); London (manager Luke Barnatt and coach Carl Prince); Los Angeles (manager Wanderlei Silva and coach Rafael Cordeiro); Miami (manager Thiago Alves and coach Conan Silveira); New York (manager TBA and coach Ray Longo); and Sao Paulo (manager Lyoto Machida and coach Andre Pederneiras.

While a specific date has yet to be revealed, the promotion says it will launch in April with regular season, semi-finals, and finals events held throughout the year.

The 2025 GFL Draft results are as follows:

Round 1

  • Pick 1 (Team Dubai): Tyron Woodley
  • Pick 2 (Team Los Angeles): Sage Northcutt
  • Pick 3 (Team London): Gegard Mousasi
  • Pick 4 (Miami): Junior Dos Santos
  • Pick 5 (Sao Paulo): Fabricio Werdum
  • Pick 6 (New York): Kevin Lee

Round 2

  • Pick 7 (New York): Chris Weidman
  • Pick 8 (Sao Paulo): Douglas Lima
  • Pick 9 (Miami): Anthony Pettis
  • Pick 10 (London): Alexander Gustafsson
  • Pick 11 (Los Angeles): Aspen Ladd
  • Pick 12 (Dubai): Abubakar Nurmagomedov

Round 3

  • Pick 13 (Dubai): Derek Brunson
  • Pick 14 (Los Angeles): Tony Ferguson
  • Pick 15 (London): Josefine Knutsson
  • Pick 16 (Miami): Yoel Romero
  • Pick 17 (Sao Paulo): Carlos Petruzzella
  • Pick 18 (New York): Holly Holm

Round 4

  • Pick 19 (New York): Melissa Amay
  • Pick 20 (Sao Paulo): Camilia Reynoso
  • Pick 21 (Miami): Natasha Kuizutina
  • Pick 22 (London): Brett Johns
  • Pick 23 (Los Angeles): Urijah Faber
  • Pick 24 (Dubai): Ali Isaev

Full team reveal (following Round 5):

Team Dubai

  • [autotag]Anastasia Nikolakakos[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Jessica Aguilar[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Faine Mesquita[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Randi Field[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Alexa Conners[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Arlene Blencowe[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Farbod Iran Nezhad[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Adilet Nurmatov[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Khumoyun Tukhtamurodov[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Damir Ismagulov[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Tofiq Musayev[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Abubakar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Omari Akhmedov[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Ronny Markes[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Ali Isaev[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Todd Duffee[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Team Los Angeles

  • [autotag]Cory McKenna[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Jessica Penne[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Leslie Smith[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Ray Borg[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Tyler Diamond[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Sage Northcutt[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Lorenz Larkin[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Louis Glismann[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Grant Neal[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Da Woon Jung[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Rashad Evans[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Frank Mir[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Team London

  • [autotag]Chiara Penco[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Kelly Staddon[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Josefine Knutsson[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Karolina Owczarz[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Julia Budd[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Cameron Else[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Josh Hill[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Tim Wilde[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Norman Parke[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Gegard Mousasi[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Ilir Latifi[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Stuart Austin[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Tanner Boser[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Team Miami

  • [autotag]Kayla Hracho[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Natasha Kuziutina[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Hannah Goldy[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Mariya Agapova[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Eric Shelton[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Andre Harrison[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Dilano Taylor[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Gleison Tibau[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Hector Lombard[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Philipe Lins[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Robelis Despaigne[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Junior Dos Santos[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Team Sao Paulo

  • [autotag]Joice Mara[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Pamela Mara[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Camila Reynoso[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Viviane Araujo[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Alejandra Lara[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Paula Bittencourt[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Renan Barao[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Maike Linhares[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Patricky Freire[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Lucas Martins[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Carlos Petruzzella[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Alan Patrick[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Douglas Lima[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Antonio Carlos Junior[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Bruno Cappelozza[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Team New York

  • [autotag]Bi Nguyen[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Marisa Messer-Belenchia[/autotag] (atomweight)
  • [autotag]Melissa Amaya[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Miao Ding[/autotag] (strawweight)
  • [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Liana Jojua[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Zviad Lazishvili[/autotag] (bantamweight)
  • [autotag]Lance Palmer[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Kai Kamaka III[/autotag] (featherweight)
  • [autotag]Sidney Outlaw[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] (lightweight)
  • [autotag]Neiman Gracie[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Dillon Danis[/autotag] (welterweight)
  • [autotag]Phillip Hawes[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (middleweight)
  • [autotag]Devin Clark[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (light heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (heavyweight)
  • [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag] (heavyweight)

Urijah Faber says Song Yadong vs. Umar Nurmagomedov being discussed for UFC 311 in January

Urijah Faber says if Song Yadong vs. Umar Nurmagomedov happens, it won’t be in December.

[autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] says if [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] happens, it won’t be in December.

Rumors emerged that Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has opted to remain active by taking on rising contender Yadong (21-8-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC) on Dec. 14. Yadong’s head coach Faber shut down rumblings of a December fight, and thinks the fight would probably take place Jan. 18 at UFC 311.

Nurmagomedov emerged as No. 1 contender after defeating Cory Sandhagen in his first main event in August. But with newly crowned champion Merab Dvalishvili wanting to defend his belt in March – during the month of Ramadan where Nurmagomedov doesn’t compete, Nurmagomedov would rather not wait.

“We don’t have a date for that yet,” Faber told Helen Yee. “I don’t think Dec. 14 is the date that we’ve talked about. I think January is what we’re looking at, but we like that fight. I think both Umar and Song are guys that people don’t want to fight, so they’re both willing to step up. I think that’s a good fight.

“We’d fight (champion Sean) O’Malley. We’d fight (Deiveson) Figueiredo. We’d fight any of these guys, really. But yeah, they’ve been talking about that fight. I’ve been seeing all sorts of stuff being posted about that fight, Nothing’s been signed. That date has not been agreed upon. If that fight does happen, it’d most likely happen in January.”

Team Alpha Male’s Yadong has won five of his past seven, but is coming off a unanimous decision loss to former champion Petr Yan at UFC 299 in March.

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REPLAY VIDEO: MMA Junkie Radio milestone Episode #3500 with big-name guests galore!

Celebrate MMA Junkie Radio’s 3,500th episode with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” as they welcomed in a plethora of big-name guests.

Thursday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio is like no other!

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” celebrated their 3,500th episode with a special live stream of the show.

A plethora of big-name guests joined the show, including UFC stars of the past and present: [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag], [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag], Chael Sonnen, [autotag]Rashad Evans[/autotag], [autotag]Gilbert Melendez[/autotag], [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag], [autotag]Johny Hendricks[/autotag], and [autotag]Frank Trigg[/autotag]. Also joining the show were Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick, UFC reporter Megan Olivi, commedian/actor Joey Diaz, the legendary Burt Watson, as well as members of the MMA Junkie staff. Tune in!

You can watch the live stream of episode #3500 in the video above.

ADXC 5 headliner Urijah Faber: Beating Bibiano Fernandes in grappling ‘a trophy for me’

Urijah Faber will be taking on a familiar foe at ADXC 5.

ABU DHABI – UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] will be taking on a familiar foe at ADXC 5.

Former WEC champion Faber headlines Friday’s grappling event when he takes on Bibiano Fernandes in a no-gi match. The pair previously competed in MMA before, with Faber defeating Fernandes by doctor’s stoppage TKO at King of the Cage in 2006.

Fernandes is a former multiple-time defending ONE Championship bantamweight title holder and also holds decorated jiu-jitsu accolades. He is a five-time world jiu-jitsu champion and three-time Pan American champion.

“I followed Bibiano’s career. I always respected the fact that he jumped into my world straight out of his world championship in jiu-jitsu,” Faber told MMA Junkie. “(He) was just fearless and believing he could do it. I love that about him, and then I followed his career afterwards where he was making his name and going on and becoming a world champion years later.

“So, I love his story. I love his spirit. I love that he’s a world champion because, for me, when I fight a world champion, if I win that world championship, that’s a trophy for me. If I can beat the guy that just won the world championship, what’s that make me? So, that’s the way I look at it.”

Faber has competed in multiple grappling matches since hanging up his UFC gloves in 2019. He most recently submitted Jeff Glover in a combat jiu-jitsu match at his promotion A1 Combat in May and plans to continue challenging himself on the mats.

“I’m going to continue to test myself, take on young up-and-comers, guys with history,” Faber said. “Maybe a match with like a Dominick Cruz or somebody like that, but we had our beef. That’s old news, man (laughs).”

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ADXC 5 to feature Urijah Faber vs. Bibiano Fernandes, Chad Mendes vs. Kevin Lee

The next ADXC event features several former UFC fighters.

The next ADXC event features several former UFC fighters.

ADXC 5 will be headlined by former WEC champion [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag], who takes on [autotag]Bibiano Fernandes[/autotag] in a no-gi match Aug. 2. In the co-main event, multiple-time UFC featherweight title challenger [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] meets former UFC interim title challenger [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag], promotion officials announced this week.

The event takes place one day before UFC on ABC 7 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, which is headlined by a bantamweight matchup between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8-MLFyyZW2/

Faber and Fernandes competed in MMA before, with Faber defeating Fernandes by doctor’s stoppage TKO at King of the Cage in 2006. Faber is coming off a submission win of Jeff Glover in a combat jiu-jitsu match at his promotion A1 Combat in May.

Fernandes is a former multiple-time defending ONE Championship bantamweight title holder. He is coming off back-to-back losses to John Lineker, and Stephen Loman.

Mendes announced his retirement from the bareknuckle boxing world following his split decision loss to Eddie Alavarez in the co-main event of BKFC 41 in April. Meanwhile, Lee intends on coming out of retirement and returning to MMA after briefly hanging up his gloves in July.

Urijah Faber: Merab Dvalishvili is a bad matchup, but ‘Sean O’Malley’s grappling is really good’

Urijah Faber says don’t underestimate Sean O’Malley’s grappling against Merab Dvalishvili.

[autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] says don’t underestimate [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]’s grappling against [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag].

UFC bantamweight champion O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) is projected to make his next title defense against Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in what many expect will be his toughest matchup to date.

Dvalishvili’s relentless grappling pace has posed problems for many – including Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo at UFC 298. “The Machine” is on a 10-fight winning streak.

“I think it’s going to be hard to say,” Faber told LowKick MMA. “You would think so, but no one else has been able to (stop the wrestling), even Henry Cejudo. Honestly, that’s a bad matchup for O’Malley because Merab is so durable.

“That dude is durable. He’s gone against some killers, and just kind of walked through their best offense. The only time he’s really been hurt is when he knocked himself out, slamming himself.”

O’Malley knocked out Dvalishvili’s training partner Aljamain Sterling to claim the bantamweight title at UFC 292. He was able to fend off Sterling’s two takedown attempts and keep the fight on the feet.

Faber isn’t counting O’Malley out if the fight hits the mat.

“O’Malley has got that ‘it’ factor,” Faber said. “He’s got a finesse about him. He’s got a matador type of style. Merab is definitely a bull, and if O’Malley can have his perfect fight, he’ll just be tagging him with clean shots and staying on the outside.

“O’Malley’s grappling is really good. I’ve trained with some of his training partners, really high-level training partners. They know how to wrestle, they know jiu-jitsu. It could go either way.”

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Urijah Faber returns to headline A1 Combat 21 on May 25

Urijah Faber is coming back to headline his own promotional event.

[autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] is coming back to headline his own promotional event.

In an official announcement, the 44 year-old former WEC champion will compete for the first time in more than four years when he headlines A1 Combat 21 on May 25 against an opponent to be determined at Visalia Convention Center in California. The event airs on UFC Fight Pass.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4J1GeWot-X/

Faber (35-11) hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to former bantamweight champion Petr Yan at UFC 245 in December 2019. The UFC Hall of Famer has since competed in an open national tournament for wrestling, as well as a jiu-jitsu match, but will enter the cage again for the first time in years. His most recent win came in a 46-second TKO over Ricky Simon in July 2019, where he came out of retirement after a two-and-a-half year layoff.

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California governor Gavin Newsom signs MMA fighter retirement benefit fund into law

California MMA fighters who qualify receive benefits from a retirement fund established by Gavin Newsom – without direct taxpayer contributions.

California is the first state to have an MMA fighter retirement benefit fund written into law.

On Sunday, the state’s governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1136 (AB 1136), which outlines the fund that is expected to go into effect in 2024. Details of the fund are still to be configured by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

MMA fighters who competed in at least 39 scheduled rounds worth of mixed martial arts contests in California will qualify to receive funds when they turn 50 years of age.

According to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, the fund will not be comprised of direct taxpayer money (general funds). Instead, $1 from each ticket sold will go toward the fund. Other sources include special commission-branded items (license plates, etc.).

“MMA promotions have seen immense growth in the past three decades, and those fighters who came to California to compete deserve compensation in retirement,” said CSAC Executive Officer Andy Foster in a statement. “It is time MMA fighters get their share.”

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The bill was authored by assembly member Matt Haney (D), of San Francisco, and proposed in February. The bill unanimously passed both the state senate (34-0) and assembly (76-0) in 2023, bringing it to the desk of Newsom, who signed the bill officially Sunday.

Since 1982, California has had a similar pension program for boxers, the California Professional Boxer’s Pension Fund, which will serve as a resource as the MMA fighter fund details are hashed out.

The bill has been publicly backed by several prominent California-based MMA fighters including former UFC champion [autotag]Ronda Rousey[/autotag], former WEC champion [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag], coach Cesar Gracie, referee Herb Dean, and former UFC and Bellator title challenger [autotag]Cat Zingano[/autotag], who gave testimony during a hearing at the state’s capitol in July.

The full bill and more pertinent California legislative information can be read here.

Urijah Faber expects Conor McGregor’s power and precision to be too much for Michael Chandler

Based on Michael Chandler’s fighting style, Urijah Faber sees Conor McGregor prevailing against him.

Based on [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag]’s fighting style, [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] sees [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] prevailing against him.

McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) and Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) are expected to fight after coaching Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which debuts May 30 on ESPN and ESPN+. Episodes will air Tuesdays with a season finale set for Aug. 15.

Coming from a wrestling background himself, Faber says Chandler’s mat skills should play a factor. But when he plays the fight out in his head, Faber sees McGregor having success on the feet.

“Traditionally in the past – you know, old-school MMA – I would have said the high-level wrestler’s always going to win,” Faber told ESPN. “But Conor, I feel, has closed those gaps a lot. I think Chandler takes a lot of big risks and likes to fight wild and aggressive, and I’ve seen many times where Conor’s power is just too much and his precision’s too much, and I think it’s going to be, in a five-round fight, leaning toward McGregor.”

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Faber has first-hand experience of what it’s like to be around McGregor for eight weeks. He coached against him on Season 22 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Although the pair wasn’t booked to fight after the filming of the show, Faber did a good job of not allowing McGregor to get under his skin.

“Chandler and I are pretty different guys, and they’re going to have a much different relationship than Conor and I,” Faber said. “I would just say the same advice I’d give anybody: Be yourself and stand your ground and things will play out the way they do.

“I think they’re going to be heated. They are actually fighting and they’re going to have a lot of build up. When I spoke to Conor about this situation, he said this season is different because he was coming off of his first big payday and his first world championship (on Season 22). This time, he’s focused on making this his camp, so I think he’s going to be a little more on edge, to be honest.”