The Global Fight League has cancelled its first two events planned for May 24 and May 25 in Los Angeles, casting doubt on whether the promotion will ever become a reality.
Andy Foster, executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, confirmed the cancellation of both events at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Sources close to fighters scheduled to compete also confirmed the news.
While there are ongoing discussions about potentially rescheduling the events later in 2025, it is unclear if the fighters signed with GFL will remain committed after this latest delay.
When GFL was initially announced, plans were to launch in April, before shifting to May in Los Angeles. With these events now cancelled, the future of GFL is uncertain, and it may cease to exist before it even begins.
Led by former PFL executive Darren Owen, the new promotion quickly signed numerous prominent fighters after announcing its launch plans for 2025.
The initial fight cards were set to feature big names like Tony Ferguson, Dillon Danis, Chad Mendes, Anthony Pettis, Benson Henderson, Holly Holm, Urijah Faber, Renan Barao, Alexander Gustafsson, Paige VanZant, and Cat Zingano.
Many more fighters were signed to GFL, including former UFC champion Chris Weidman, who considered retirement before signing with the promotion in hopes of a rematch with Luke Rockhold, another signed fighter.
Many fighters signed with GFL mentioned receiving very generous contracts, raising concerns about the long-term financial stability of the organization.
With the first two events cancelled and no clear plans for the future, the entire future of GFL is now uncertain.
