Inspired by the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, the MMA Fighting team, continuing a tradition from previous years, has once again conducted a fantasy draft to select the top fighters and biggest stars in the MMA world.
Here`s a quick recap of last year`s format: four MMA Fighting writers—Alexander K. Lee, Damon Martin, Mike Heck, and Jed Meshew—each took control of a major MMA promotion. They then drafted fighters to build their rosters, and readers voted on which team was the best.
Let`s quickly review the rules for this year.
In the previous draft, the represented promotions were BKFC, ONE Championship, PFL, KSW, and the UFC, with Mike Heck`s BKFC roster taking the win. This year features a different lineup. UFC, PFL, and BKFC are still included. However, ONE Championship`s focus has shifted away from traditional MMA, and instead of KSW, the relatively new promotion GFL has been added, perhaps for its only appearance.
The general managers were randomly assigned to new organizations: Damon Martin for GFL, Alexander K. Lee for PFL, Jed Meshew for BKFC, and Mike Heck for the UFC. As the newest promotion, GFL received the first overall pick, followed by PFL, then BKFC, with the UFC picking last in each round.
Understand the setup? Great. Let the draft begin!
Martin (GFL): Our goal at GFL isn`t huge viral hits, just putting on one single event! But selecting Conor McGregor first overall might actually make that possible. While most top picks seek big contracts, we`re hoping Conor might lend us funds to promote our first card. He can be the face, even president, as long as his investment clears!
Lee (PFL): Here at “The League,” we`ve positioned Francis Ngannou as the premier heavyweight. However, his MMA career seems brief, so we`re drafting the real top heavyweight, Tom Aspinall. Aspinall aligns with our global ambitions, serves as an excellent ambassador, and brings excitement to the cage. We`ve found our new company figurehead.
Meshew (BKFC): Some might accuse me of copying Mike`s strategy from last year with this pick, and my response is, `Obviously.` We shared the same approach last year, but he picked earlier and took the most entertaining fighters. Not this time! Alex Pereira might not hold a UFC belt anymore, but that`s irrelevant to BKFC. I simply want to see `Poatan` land some bare-knuckle blows. Is that too much to ask?
Heck (UFC): Let`s be direct—the UFC has been relatively unchallenged, requiring little effort. However, fan frustration is mounting, and we feel it approaching. We need to secure the fighter with the highest potential on our roster, combining skill and star power. Ilia Topuria was the top priority to keep in the UFC, and there was no way we`d pass on him in the first round.
Martin (GFL): Nobody runs a draft better than GFL! For our second pick, we`re aiming for the greatest of all time. At 37, Jon Jones is slightly young for our league, but we`ll take the risk. Jones has indicated he`s nearing the end of his career, which aligns with our company`s likely lifespan!
Lee (PFL): “The League” is where the best compete—have you seen how many of our athletes are ranked on Fight Matrix??? How could we maintain that claim without the Pound-for-Pound best fighter, Islam Makhachev? He perfectly fits the style of many of our champions. While he might not bring in huge casual viewership (who needs it?), he`s both a brand-consistent choice and an incredible talent to strengthen our already elite roster.
Meshew (BKFC): I`ll argue I`ve been Dricus du Plessis`s biggest media supporter since he joined the UFC, so this pick is for both his in-ring potential and my personal preference. DDP is a unique athlete and star. Despite his grappling skills, he`ll be a great fit throwing heavy punches in bare knuckles. Plus, du Plessis provides a lovely connection to South Africa, a potentially huge market given their love for rugby (which is essentially bare-knuckle football with fighting).
Heck (UFC): If Ilia Topuria was our top `must-keep,` Dakota Ditcheva is our top `must-acquire.` Fans want it, Ditcheva clearly wants it, and the UFC desperately needs excitement and intrigue. Why wait for her contract to expire? This is the immediate move for Ditcheva. Let`s just do it now and give everyone—except PFL—exactly what they desire.
Martin (GFL): With Tom Aspinall taken, we need someone for Jones to fight in his potential GFL debut (possibly his only GFL fight). So, we`re bringing back the matchup everyone wanted a couple of years ago. Though he`s been out of the spotlight in PFL, Ngannou remains one of the world`s most formidable fighters. Putting him against Jones is precisely the type of fight we need.
Lee (PFL): I see GFL`s strategy… and I don`t approve. Fortunately, we anticipated a potential Francis loss and already have passive-aggressive tweets drafted for when his first GFL fight is announced (joking… mostly). We thank Ngannou for his service and pivot to the latest hot commodity, now-former UFC star Paddy Pimblett.
We have the substance with Makhachev, and now we add considerable hype with the increasingly popular `Baddy` from Liverpool.
Meshew (BKFC): Look, are there `better` fighters available? Probably. But BKFC is as much a lifestyle as it is a promotion. Is there anyone in MMA more suited for our particular brand of chaos right now? Heck, we`ll even let him smoke on his way to the ring and help arrange custom Marlboro Red fight shorts!
Heck (UFC): First off, this should have been a snake draft, and Paddy Pimblett would have stayed on the roster. But I`ll move on… Since I can`t keep Pimblett, the UFC`s focus remains on exciting fights, and the heavyweight division needs it most right now. We`ll manage his matchups correctly (see draft pick No. 5, apologies to KSW) and ensure everyone tunes in to watch. Additionally, this pick hurts BKFC and definitely GFL based on fighter age. Excited to have him.
Martin (GFL): Now, I know what you`re thinking—Ronda Rousey is retired. But so was Chris Weidman, and he returned for the honor of competing in GFL, and we believe Rousey can do the same. Sure, she hasn`t fought in nine years, but that kind of layoff screams for a comeback! We already have Holly Holm under contract, so maybe we could run that rematch, or perhaps this draft will provide another opponent for the `Rowdy` one`s GFL debut.
Lee (PFL): Listen, I`ll just say it: if you vote for GFL as the winner, you`re a bad person. Explain yourself in the comments!
We`re keeping the momentum with another hyped fighter and the second `Fighting Nerd` drafted: `Lord` Jean Silva. His stock is incredibly high after beating Bryce Mitchell, and he`s an amazing addition to our criminally overlooked featherweight team.
Meshew (BKFC): Oof. That pick stings slightly; I hoped to get Silva this round for a `Fighting Nerds Bash Brothers` situation. Alas. Great pickup for PFL, and we`ll need to adjust our plans slightly by taking my other large, adult son, Sean O`Malley.
Besides the potential Pudzianowski-Hall fight (which Heck just ruined!), there`s no MMA fight I want to see more than O`Malley vs. Jiri Prochazka. I don`t need a belt or anything; I just need these two large, violent oddballs to collide. And now I can make that happen.
Heck (UFC): There`s no way we`re letting Dustin Poirier have his final fight outside the UFC.
About five things will genuinely be exciting and emotional in the UFC in 2025, and Poirier`s `Last Dance` is one of them. Poirier vs. Holloway 3 would be a fitting end to one of the most entertaining careers in UFC history, and we`ll make it happen in New Orleans.
Martin (GFL): We need some excitement to finish strong. Frankly, there`s a chance none of our first four picks actually fight for us—much like we probably won`t ever hold an event—but all is not lost. With Justin Gaethje, we get a top lightweight who always delivers exciting fights and is remarkably durable and reliable, which is exactly what this promotion needs.
Lee (PFL): Khamzat Chimaev, I can`t quit you.
For the second consecutive year, I`m gambling on a fighter who might be the best in the world? We might never know. But there`s no denying that every time Chimaev walks to the cage, it`s essential viewing. And hey, our stars don`t fight more than once a year anyway, so our schedules match up perfectly!
Meshew (BKFC): Look, is it possible this is a wasted pick? Absolutely. But here at BKFC, we stand by our people. GFL already took our co-owner in the first round; we cannot lose the face of our promotion. Mike Perry helped build us into what we are today, and he remains the perfect embodiment of what bare-knuckle fighting is about.
Heck (UFC): You`re welcome. See pick No. 3. That is all.
Martin (GFL): The steal of the draft! Technically, Gina Carano never retired, making her `fresher` than Rousey right now (despite not competing for almost 16 years). Carano nearly plotted a comeback a few years ago, seriously discussing a potential fight against Rousey in the UFC. Well, potential is all we have here, so why not try to make the Carano vs. Rousey fight in 2025 that nobody was asking for?
Lee (PFL): I honestly thought Damon drafted `Nick Diaz,` and the fact that confusion was even possible frustrates me greatly.
We`re thinking outside the box for our final pick. Numerous champions, stars, and PFL names I should probably protect are still available, but hear me out: we get Themba Gorimbo, and we get The Rock. You might not realize they`re friends since they never mention it (smirk emoji).
The League aims to generate mainstream buzz, and what better way than having Dwayne Johnson on our side to promote the inspiring story of his friend Themba. And if there`s one thing we learned about Rocky after this past WrestleMania weekend, it`s that when he commits to a story, he sees it through (multiple smirk emojis, prayer hands)!
Meshew (BKFC): And now, it`s time to consider the future. BKFC has a very specific brand, and finding suitable fighters isn`t always easy, but this one fits nicely. Mike Hughes is always ready for a fight, and he`s an emerging talent with a knack for talking. Hughes is our plan for succession when Mike Perry and our aging talent pool start moving towards retirement.
Heck (UFC): Oh, Jed, you took my pick, but that`s fine, I have an excellent backup plan.
Doumbé-mania is coming to the UFC! Unlike PFL, we will manage Cedric Doumbe`s career correctly. No wrestlers, no grapplers (at least not anytime soon)—just highlight reels. This is why Doumbe entered the sport. PFL polished him up nicely for us; now, we can make him the star he deserves to be.
Final Draft Results
- GFL
- Damon Martin
- PFL
- Alexander K. Lee
- BKFC
- Jed Meshew
- UFC
- Mike Heck
