Anthony Smith casts doubt on GFL actually finding success by throwing ‘big money at old, aging fighters’

Global Fight League made a big splash when announcing the launch of a new team-based promotion with all sorts of benefits for fighters and then signing dozens of past champions and legends of the sport to the roster.

Lately, GFL has even started announcing fights like Chris Weidman’s long-awaited rematch against Luke Rockhold and even Tony Ferguson apparently fighting Dillon Danis but none of these matchups have dates or locations. In fact, GFL hasn’t formally announced any details regarding the promotion’s first show or where the fights might air with no broadcast deal in place.

Light heavyweight veteran and UFC analyst Anthony Smith has never dealt with GFL, but from the outside looking in, he’s heard plenty about them from other fighters and he has his doubts about whether the promotion ever gets off the ground.

“It’s weird,” Smith told MMA Fighting. “I’m not totally sold on it yet. They’ve yet to hold an event and I don’t know anything about the promotion other than the fighters that they have signed. From what I hear just through the fighter grapevine, they’re paying crazy money. So I don’t suspect it’s going to be around that long.

“That old model has been tried over and over and over again and it doesn’t work. I don’t what they would be doing that’s different from what everyone else is done other than throw big money at old, aging fighters.”

The list of notable names who have signed with the GFL is astonishing with more than a few fighters coming back from retirement for the chance to fight there and presumably cash a big paycheck along the way.

One of the biggest names that stood out when the GFL launched was former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, who was last seen in the cage back in 2023 when he announced his retirement following a knockout loss to Ihor Potieria. That loss capped off a three-fight skid for the Brazilian legend and it seemed like the best time to walk away from the sport.

Now, Shogun is not only signed to the GFL, but the promotion announced he’s expected to clash with Yoel Romero in his return to action.

Another name on the GFL roster is Tony Ferguson, who briefly contemplated retirement after losing his eighth straight fight in a row, which brought an end to his 13-year run with the UFC. While Ferguson suffered through a longer losing streak, Smith actually has far less beef with him fighting again than seeing Shogun back in there taking punches at 43 years old after the career he’s already had.

“I get what the guys are doing. I would take big old fat checks like that, too, especially if you’re just sitting around,” Smith said. “If you’re not doing nothing and you’re just training because most guys still continue to train, they stay in the gym, they still hang out with their teammates and partners and stuff. So I suspect that they’re all in decent shape. There is a few though that I don’t like. Shogun being one.

“Actually, I don’t dislike the Tony one that much. If you look at the run Tony was on, even the skid that he’s been on, it’s not like they’re a bunch of bums that he’s losing to. They’re good fighters and competitive guys still. But I think I like it more for Tony because I don’t what Tony would do. What would Tony Ferguson do if you take this from him? I don’t know. I’m afraid for Tony if he didn’t have this outlet. I love Tony Ferguson. If this is what he wants, Tony Ferguson is one of those guys you kind of just give him what he wants. Shogun bothers me though. That’s a lot of miles. That’s a lot of wars and he doesn’t always look like he wants to be there. There’s never a question whether Tony Ferguson wants to be in there or not. The last couple of Shogun appearances, it didn’t look like he wanted to be there.”

That said, Smith was impressed by some of the fighters that GFL got on the roster, though he knows that almost assuredly comes with a promise that those same athletes are going to make a huge payday to go there.

Thus far, nobody has actually cashed a check so Smith won’t raise too many concerns until GFL actually puts on a show for the first time.

“I’m not sold on them being around very long so I don’t know how much it actually matters,” Smith said. “But there were some guys that popped up that I was really shocked, like where did you guys get [Alexander] Gustafsson? How did you guys figure that out? Like I thought he was just hiding away in Stockholm living his best life with his beautiful family and being the King of Sweden but they drug him out, too.

“They must be big checks. I hear they’re big but if you can drag guys like Alexander Gustafsson out, they’ve got to be swinging big hammers.”