GFL Draft Grades: Which groups are feature up for achievement in 2025?

On Friday night, World Fight League held its inaugural draft with its six groups deciding on 20 fighters all the arrangement in which via 10 weight classes. Worn UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley had the appreciate of being chosen because the No. 1 overall draft pick for Crew Dubai, and when it turned into all talked about and accomplished, 12 dilapidated UFC champions had been drafted along with a slew of diverse high names in MMA. So, now that we all know the groups, let’s review the draft and protect shut a wager at which groups are simplest feature up for achievement in when the promotion kicks off in April.

Crew Dubai

Dubai had the first overall draft pick which they passe to settle Tyron Woodley, following that up with Abubakar Nurmagomedov and Derek Brunson. I’ll be staunch, none of those other folk had been high on my draft board. In spite of the full lot, Woodley is 42, hasn’t fought in four years, and is on a six-fight shedding run all the arrangement in which via all fight sports actions. That doesn’t precisely enlighten “First overall draft pick to me.”

Fortunately, they weren’t basically punished for it because the various groups handed on about a of the excellent fighters accessible to be drafted. Tofiq Musayev and Damir Ismagulov had been arguably the excellent solutions at any weight class and Crew Dubai obtained them each. That’s the mild-weight division locked up, and Ali Isaev turned into potentially the excellent heavyweight accessible as correctly. Omari Akhmedov, Timur Valiev, and each featherweight picks are also high quality fighters, meaning Dubai would possibly well fair need to win one amongst their final 5 weight classes to narrate a group victory.

Crew Dubai has some obvious weaknesses (Arlene Blencowe is the excellent confirmed lady on the squad who isn’t completely washed), however its strengths are the strongest of any of the six groups.

Grade: A-

Crew Los Angeles

Oof.

Admire many Los Angeles sports actions groups sooner or later of history, Crew L.A. appears to be to accept made the traditional blunder of deciding on sizzle over steak. L.A.’s first four picks had been Chronicle Northcutt, Aspen Ladd, Tony Ferguson, and Urijah Faber. When drafting Aspen Ladd is the excellent narrate you attain, something has long past horribly awry.

Urijah Faber is forty five and hasn’t competed in almost six years. God is conscious of I love him however Andrei Arlovski hasn’t regarded proper in over a decade! Chronicle Northcutt turned into never proper to open with! And don’t even acquire me started on Tony Ferguson.

Lorenz Larkin, Tyler Diamond, and maybe Ladd are the excellent fighters I basically accept any self belief will have the opportunity to accept wins for the L.A. Codgers. Add in the actual fact that Rashad Evans is it appears to be no longer even basically on the group and I’m assured predicting right here’s going to bolt poorly.

Grade: F

Crew London

Hmmm. I’m starting up to sense a pattern right here. In the case of all of Crew London’s fighters are European, fair love most of Crew Dubai’s fighters had some connection to the U.A.E. I’m starting up to mediate this wasn’t an precise draft… No, unquestionably no longer. Doubtlessly a full twist of destiny.

Anywho, I love somewhat about a what Crew London has going on right here. London went Gegard Mousasi, into Alexander Gustafsson, into Josefine Knutsson, into Brett Johns to begin the draft, and whereas those undoubtedly weren’t the excellent picks, they filled out the leisure of their roster well.

The foundation of Crew London is its ladies’s divisions because the Euros can search data from to be extremely aggressive in all three of those weight classes and as followers chanced on out in the 2022 MMA World Cup, a mighty female corps can lift a group a protracted manner. On high of that, the leisure of The King’s Crew would possibly well lack for flash and excitement, however they don’t accept too many complete duds, meaning they deserve to be a tough out in any weight class.

Fascinated regarding the Brits don’t accept drafts in their sports actions, they did a tight job right here.

Grade: B

Crew Miami

Crew Miami is a proper mixed salvage.

The Miami Speedboats (none of the groups accept names, so I’m declaring this one, acquire on board) took Junior dos Santos in the first spherical, Anthony Pettis in the 2nd, Yoel Romero in the third, after which Natasha Kuziutina in the fourth. Kuziutina is de facto the excellent pick of the bunch as she’s legitimately proper and would possibly well well be the pinnacle atomweight competing. Romero turned into also a tight preference given the immoral bid of the various middleweights, and whereas Pettis is correctly washed, he’s potentially less so than many substitute draftees.

The the leisure of Crew Miami is as suspect as a sq. grouper. Philipe Lins is de facto a large pick however Marlon Moraes, JDS, Hector Lombard, Gleison Tibau, and Thiago Santos are all heaps of ranges of “I’m depressed staring at you fight serene” whereas the others accept some abilities however had been never elite rivals. The inability of an rising skill would possibly well remark to be a immense flaw for Crew Miami however they’ve obtained sufficient pieces to compete.

Grade: C+

Crew Sao Paulo

Now right here’s a group!

Sao Paulo came out of the gate and drafted Fabricio Werdum, Douglas Lima, Carlos Petruzzella, and Camila Reynoso with its first four picks. While the gap two are terrible, Petruzella and Reynoso are large. They’re each young, undefeated potentialities who’re potentially about to spend the leisure of the one year placing ragged dogs out to pasture for their group.

On high of those two weight classes being in proper fingers, Crew Sao Paulo also has above moderate skill at featherweight, mild heavyweight, and heavyweight, plus moderately succesful fighters in each diverse weight class. Certain, there are about a fighters right here who’re past their sell-by dates, however surroundings those aside, Crew Brazil is surprisingly correctly-rounded. They would well lack the highs of Crew Dubai, however Sao Paulo has more depth. They’re a front-runner to win this narrate.

Grade: A

Crew New York

Effectively, I do know who I’m picking to carry out closing.

In fact, who’re you speculated to be captivated with for those who’re a New York fan? Chris Weidman retired a week previously and can’ve retired a lifetime previously. Kevin Lee is Kevin Lee. Lance Palmer turned into first rate as soon as upon a time however now? I obtained’t even deign to provide Dillon Danis a proper mention. Bi Nguyen is 6-9! What are we doing right here?!?!

Alan Belcher would possibly well well be the customary-bearer for this group which will accept to recount fair how dire issues are for Crew Longo and company. Whenever you is probably going to be residing in New York, it’s better to be a Jets or Giants fan than perceive this squad.

Grade: F