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Global Fight League Announces Cities & Team Managers For Launch Year, “Shogun” Rua & Yoel Romero Among Latest Signings

The Global Fight League (GFL) has revealed a range of crucial updates about how the structure of the budding MMA organization will look. The newly launched promotion has already secured an array of over 300 fighters, including several high-profile former stars from renowned organizations such as the UFC, Bellator, and PFL. The GFL is said […]

The Global Fight League (GFL) has revealed a range of crucial updates about how the structure of the budding MMA organization will look.

The newly launched promotion has already secured an array of over 300 fighters, including several high-profile former stars from renowned organizations such as the UFC, Bellator, and PFL. The GFL is said to make its highly anticipated debut this April, with the precise commencement date yet to be revealed.

The GFL introduces an innovative team-based format, featuring six teams from cities around the world competing in a league structure that includes playoffs. The first draft is scheduled for Jan. 24.

The GFL disclosed the latest draft entrants in a recent press release, as well as the cities that will represent each team and the managers and coaches set to lead them.

The new draft pool features notable names such as Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, Yoel Romero, Chad Mendes, Renan Barao, Douglas Lima, Ovince Saint Preux and Todd Duffee. Meanwhile, the six teams will represent some of the world’s most iconic cities: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, São Paulo, London and Dubai.

Here’s a look at the managers and coaches appointed to lead the six teams in the GFL:

Los Angeles: UFC Hall of Famer Wanderlei Silva has been named the manager of Team Los Angeles, with the renowned Rafael Cordeiro stepping in as the head coach.

Miami: Thiago Alves will manage Team Miami, with Conan Silveira as the head coach.

New York: The manager for Team New York is still to be announced, with the team set to be coached by the famed Ray Longo.

São Paulo: Team São Paulo will be led by Brazil’s own former UFC champion Lyoto Machida as manager, with the legendary Andre Pederneiras as the team’s coach.

London: UFC veteran Luke Barnatt will take the reins as manager, while Carl Prince of Manchester Top Team will serve as the head coach for Team London.

Dubai: Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will lead Team Dubai as manager, with Javier Mendez from the American Kickboxing Academy stepping in as the team’s head coach.

GFL announced the host cities and coaches for the inaugural season that's supposed to launch in April along with new fighter signings including:

Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
Yoel Romero
Chad Mendes
Renan Barao
Douglas Lima
Ovince Saint Preux
Todd Duffee pic.twitter.com/B6oIpo7sbb

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) January 16, 2025

Darren Owen, the company’s co-founder, has outlined an array of unique benefits tailored to prioritize fighters’ welfare.

These include comprehensive training support, insurance coverage, a 50-50 revenue-sharing model, pension plans, and various other perks aimed at ensuring financial stability and fostering long-term professional well-being for the athletes.

The promotion has, however, come under fire for signing a number of aging veterans for the upcoming draft, including Frank Mir, Marlon Moraes, and Tyron Woodley.

VIDEO: Yoel Romero Lands Quick Knockout At Inaugural Dirty Boxing Championship Event

Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event. To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before […]

Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event.

To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before the private event in Miami.

“Soldier of God” — who unsuccessfully challenged Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya for UFC gold, as well as Vadim Nemkov for champ status under the Bellator banner — headlined opposite Power Slap competitor Duane Crespo.

At the event, which had limited promotion and did not stream online, Romero quickly showed his superiority over Crespo by destroying “The Iron Giant” inside the very first round.

Fights under the Dirty Championship Boxing banner consist of three-minute rounds (three for normal bouts and five for main events) and are fought with 5oz gloves. The fighters are also allowed to throw elbows.

The result on Saturday came in Romero’s first combat sports appearance since this past February, when he got the better of fellow former UFC contender Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Saudi Arabia.

It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Romero in 2025, and whether or not his next outing will see a return to mixed martial arts following a foray into the ring at Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship.

Read More: UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Petr Yan Outstrikes Deiveson Figueiredo

Ex-UFC Star Yoel Romero Books Last-Minute Fight at Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship

Ex-UFC Star Yoel Romero Books Last-Minute Fight at Mike Perry's Dirty Championship Boxing Yoel Romero is fighting this weekend. In a bit of news that literally came out of nowhere, the multi-time…

Yoel Romero is fighting this weekend.

In a bit of news that literally came out of nowhere, the multi-time UFC title challenger will return to action on Saturday night in Miami under the Dirty Boxing Championship banner — a striking promotion co-owned by BKFC star ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry.

Romero, 47, is set to take on former Power Slap athlete Duane Crespo in a heavyweight bout per a report from MMA Junkie.

Dirty Boxing Championship bouts are composed of three-minute rounds — five rounds for main events and championship matchups. Fighters will compete in five-ounce gloves inside a custom DBX ring where both ground and pound and elbows are permitted.

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Yoel Romero last competed at PFL vs. Bellator in February

Romero will be competing in his first fight since a unanimous decision victory over Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before that, ‘Soldier of God’ had competed four times under the Bellator banner, going 2-2 in the process.

A silver medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Romero is best known for his UFC run where he was scheduled to fight for the middleweight title on four separate occasions. Two of those instances saw Romero fail to make the 185-pound limit, disqualifying him from winning the title in bouts against Luke Rockhold and Robert Whittaker.

Romero’s last chance at the strap came against Israel Adesanya at UFC 248 — a title tilt that went down as one of the worst fights in UFC history.

Dirty Boxing Championship is the brainchild of Mike Perry and his business partners, including former Karate Combat President Adam Kovacs, serial entrepreneur Josh McClean, and the accomplished Kawa brothers of First Round Management.

“It’s time to get dirty! We’ve been working so hard on this all year, I can’t wait for Saturday night,” Perry ahead of the promotion’s debut event. “Hands, elbows, ground and pound — these fights are going to be wild and they’re going to be up close and personal. I love that we’re doing this sort of underground launch event, it’s like a private fight club. We’ll release the tapes after the event but if you want to peek inside while the fights are going on, follow our social channels.”

Ex-UFC star Yoel Romero reveals stunning BKFC move is in the works: ‘We are cooking something’

Former multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to…

Former multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to make a spectacular move to the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) – as soon as a couple of months.

Romero, a current Bellator MMA contender, most recently featured earlier this year at Bellator vs. PFL – turning in a unanimous decision victory over fellow former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos.

Yoel Romero rules out retirement talk ahead of Bellator 297 I plan to fight until I'm 52 — Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

Improving to 3-2 over the course of five fights in the promotion, Cuban veteran, Romero has also landed devastating knockout wins over both Alex Polizzi, and fellow veteran striker, Melvin Manhoef.

Challenging for light heavyweight gold back in June of last year, Olympic silver medal winner, Romero dropped a unanimous decision loss to Russian star, Vadim Nemkov.

Yoel Romero reveals BKFC move is in the works

And weighing up his fighting future amid links to a host of contests and organization, Romero boldly claimed recently that he has the key to beat incumbent light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira – who headlines UFC 303 this weekend.

“A lot of people talk and they think if I would fight against the big champ (Alex) Pereira in the UFC, 205lbs – he has plenty of experience,” Yoel Romero said on the Overdogs podcast. “[He] is a born striker, it would be an honor to fight people with caliber [like him]. He’s a man born of a women, same as me.”

“Everything is possible when you believe, he has two hands, I also have two hands – all can happen,” Yoel Romero continued. “The strategy to beat Alex is doing a well mixed fight. You can’t wrestle and wrestle [continuously], you can’t do striking and striking [continously].”

However, the veteran Pinar del Rio fan-favorite claimed a move to the BKFC was targeted – with a potential debut just months away.

“We are cooking something,” Yoel Romero explained. “You all know that I came from a boxing family and one thing I still have to do in life is fighting in a ring. But this time, only punches. We are cooking something, and something soon. We are not talking about a year – nothing about that. We are talking about months.”

How do you think Yoel Romero would fare in the BKFC?

Yoel Romero claims to have key to beat Alex Pereira in future clash: ‘It would be an honor to fight him’

Promotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at…

Promotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at the light heavyweight limit, suggesting a strategy of mixing the martial arts is a surefire way to beat the Brazilian.

Romero, a former multiple-time title challenger at the middleweight limit during his tenure with the Dana White-led organization, has since made the move to Bellator MMA following the end of his UFC contract, fighting five times since.

Sidelined since a PFL vs. Bellator event back in February, Cuban veteran, Romero landed a unanimous decision win over another former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos – following an unsuccessful title charge against Vadim Nemkov.

As for Pereira, the former middleweight champion an incumbent light heavyweight kingpin, headlines UFC 303 next weekend on short-notice in a title fight re-run against Jiri Prochazka.

Yoel Romero previews Alex Pereira fight in the future

And faltering just once in the Octagon in the form of a second round knockout loss to Israel Adesanya back in April of last year, Sao Paulo knockout ace, Pereira can be defeated by mixing up a fighting strategy, according to Olympic wrestling medal winner, Romero.

Alex Pereira backed as new face of the company after accepting short notice title fight at UFC 303

Would you have liked to see Yoel Romero and Alex Pereira in their primes?

Yoel Romero punishes Thiago Santos’ lead leg en route to unanimous decision – PFL vs. Bellator Highlights

Yoel Romero got back into the win column on Saturday night inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia…

Yoel Romero got back into the win column on Saturday night inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at PFL vs. Bellator: Champs

Representing Bellator MMA, the former UFC title challenger delivered a methodical performance against the always-dangerous Thiago Santos. Through three rounds of action, the ‘Soldier of God’ punished Santos’ lead leg which stifled Santos’ offense through most of the 15-minute affair.

Official Result: Yoel Romero def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Romero moved to 16-7 in his mixed martial arts career and earned his first win since a September 2022 meeting with Melvin Manhoef. Santos fell to 22-12 and has now lost five of his last six fights.

Tag: Yoel Romero