The Entrance of a UFC Hall of Famer into the Latest MMA Draft Sparks Debate Among Fans
The Entrance of a UFC Hall of Famer into the Latest MMA Draft Sparks Debate Among Fans
UFC legend Wanderlei Silva, now 48, has been out of the arena since his September 2018 loss to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. However, he's one of numerous famous fighters on the draft list for the upcoming MMA league, Global Fight League (GFL).
Intrigued fans, well-versed in Silva's combative history, contacted the GFL's official X account to confirm Silva's involvement. The GFL confirmed Silva's interest, but his fight approval depends on the approval of the athletic commission he competes in.
Although Silva's popularity was evident in the GFL's poll asking fans to pick their team's second middleweight, he received 48% of the votes, with Markus Perez, a former UFC fighter, trailing behind with the second-highest votes.
Throughout his career, Silva was renowned for his thrilling style, engaging in iconic bouts with fighters like Rampage Jackson, Brian Stann, Cung Le, Rich Franklin, Keith Jardine, Chuck Liddell, Hidehiko Yoshida, and more.
However, these epic encounters transpired over a decade ago for some, even over two decades ago. Given the lapse in time, it's questionable if Silva can still perform as a legitimate fighter.
The GFL's roster boasts renowned names from UFC, Bellator, and Pride, but their abilities to perform at a high level remains a concern. Fans don't expect Silva, Anthony Pettis, Alexander Gustafsson, or Renan Barao to deliver as they once did in their prime.
Despite these doubts, fans hope they can deliver competitive and exciting matches without causing any permanent damage. The details regarding the GFL are yet to be revealed.
What is known is the composition of the roster, the team-based format, a draft, and a 50-50 revenue share promise with the fighters. Despite not being a fan of the team or season-based format in combat sports, there's anticipation about the teams, events, and whether they'll captivate the MMA community.
Let's see if the GFL shows up on a weekday that UFC doesn't dominate. Here's the complete roster as listed on their website:
Heavyweight
- Alan Belcher
- Aleksandr Maslov
- Aleksei Oleinik
- Andrei Arlovski
- Fabrício Werdum
- Frank Mir
- Junior dos Santos
- Oli Thompson
- Greg Hardy
- Guto Inocente
- Philipe Lins
- Robelis Despaigne
- Roggers Souza
- Stuart Austin
- Tanner Boser
Light Heavyweight
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Cleiton Silva
- Emiliano Sordi
- Ilir Latifi
- Rafael Carvalho
- Thiago Santos
- Da Woon Jung
Middleweight
- Gegard Mousasi
- Chauncey Foxworth
- Glaico Franca
- Héctor Lombard
- Jared Revel
- Jozef Wittner
- Kyle Daukaus
- Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz
- Luke Rockhold
- Markus Perez
- Phil Hawes
- Wanderlei Silva
Welterweight
- Abubakar Nurmagomedov
- Austin Tweedy
- Adilet Nurmatov
- Benson Henderson
- Danny Mitchell
- Dominick Meriweather
- Francisco Trinaldo
- Joao Zeferino
- Jozef Wittner
- Jordan Mein
- Julio Spadaccini
- Michael Irizarry
- Rousimar Palhares
- Ruan Machado
- Tyron Woodley
Lightweight
- Amirkhon Alikhuzhaev
- Aaron McKenzie
- Anthony Pettis
- Alex Oliveira
- Ayton De Paepe
- Charles Rosa
- Feruz Usmonov
- Gabriel Souza Galindo
- Ayinda Nah Octave Tiphaine
- Christian Giagos
- Benson Henderson
- Ayinda Octave
- Jefferson Pontes
- Jeremy Stephens
- John Makdessi
- Kevin Lee
- Killys Mota
- Lucas Martins
- Mohamed Tarek Mohey
- Oscar Ownsworth
- Raimundo Batista
- Sidney Outlaw
- Stephen Beaumont
- Will Brooks
- William Lima
- Yan Cabral
Featherweight
- Alexsandro Lopes Cangaty
- Bubba Jenkins
- Andre Harrison
- Claudeci Brito
- Deberson Batista
- Lance Palmer
- Marcel Adur
- Marcelo Dias
- Marlon Moraes
- Mohammad Abzakh
- Patrizio de Souza Janurario
- Renan Oliveira
- Renan Barão
Bantamweight
- Cameron Else
- Denis Palancica
- Diego Teixeira
- Jimmie Rivera
- Marciano Ferreira
- Omar Arteaga
- Marcus Paulo Amaral
- Alexa Turner
- Queila Brega
- Pannie Kiangzdad
- Tonya Everinger
Female Flyweight Division
- Chiara Penna
- Kalindra Farias
- Miao Ding
Female Strawweight Division
- Bi Nyugen
- Viviane Pereira
- Silvania Monteiro
- Hannah Gold
- Jessica Penne
- Kayla Hracho
Keep an eye out for more details on the GFL as they emerge.
- Many fans are eagerly waiting to find out when the Global Fight League (GFL) starts, as they want to see if UFC legend Wanderlei Silva will compete in the MMA league.
- Although Wanderlei Silva received a significant number of votes in the GFL's poll for the second middleweight, some fans question if he can still perform at a high level in MMA, given his age and the lapse of time since his last fight.
- With numerous renowned names from UFC, Bellator, and Pride on the GFL roster, fans are eager to see if stars like Alexander Gustafsson, Anthony Pettis, and Wanderlei Silva can deliver compelling and exciting matches without causing any permanent damage.