Team-Based MMA — Will Global Fight League Differ?

We’ve Been Here Before

Last week, The Global Fight League (GFL) announced they will launch in 2025.

It is said to be a team-based league with the selection of fighters and their teams beginning as soon as , and their opening event in April. Team-based MMA is not a new idea for the sport, it’s been done before and is going on today but not at the scale the GFL is looking to do. So, what makes them different from what has been done before and what’s different about the sport now?

Before we answer that, let’s take a look at team-based MMA promotions that have emerged with the growth of MMA:

International Fight League

The first time team-based MMA was presented to fight fans was with the International Fight League (IFL) in 2006. Wizard magazine founder Gareb Shamus and real-estate developer Kurt Otto started the promotion and the teams were basically fight camps coached by prominent fighters and coaches. Events had fighters from two camps face one another that would fill a fight card.

They ceased operations in 2008 due to financial difficulties.

MMA Pro League

The MMA Pro League began in 2018.