It seems that former UFC title challenger Yoel Romero has a new target in his sights for this year’s Global Fight League launch.
After years of preparation, the GFL is expected to stage events for the first time this year, as the promotion looks to succeed in the fight game with a team-based format and season structure. The organization initially claimed that 15 cards are planned up until August, after which two playoff events and one final will take place before the year’s end.
Following the release of the six city teams, as well as a manager and head coach for each, 120 fighters were picked as part of the inaugural draft toward the start of 2025. And while little is known about dates and venues for the first events, which were originally slated for April, the matchups have begun to roll out.
Among the first to emerge was a clash between Team Miami’s Romero and fellow former UFC veteran Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, of Team São Paulo. That bout, however, looks to be no more.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Romero announced that his fight with Rua is off and he will instead collide with Team London’s Gegard Mousasi. “Soldier of God” also revealed a date and location for the clash.
“(Rua’s) out, he is out. And now, I moved for middleweight again and I am fighting Gegard Mousasi,” Romero said. “That is happening June 22 in New York. That is the fight that is coming for me. I don’t know what happened with ‘Shogun,’ but my manager called me last week. … I said, ‘Okay, beautiful, I am ready.’
“For me, both guys are legends. I have very good respect, big respect for both guys,” Romero continued. “Both have a very good history in MMA. For me, it is a great honor to fight now Gegard. But I (was) very excited when the people said ‘Shogun.’ … This is a medal for me. Because when I finish in my career, I’d say, ‘I fought with that guy.'”
First-round matchups taking place in June would seemingly disrupt the GFL’s original plan of 15 events up until August. And with March coming to its end, the goal of April cards also appears to have been scrapped.
The legitimacy of the new organization has also been brought into question due to a number of fake announcements. Both Rashad Evans and Jeremy Stephens were drafted in January but have since rejected claims they signed contracts. “Lil Heathen” has now re-signed with the UFC instead.
While 48 years old, the game doesn’t appear to have left Yoel Romero as of yet. Since a loss in his Bellator debut, the Cuban has won three out of four fights in the cage, most recently defeating fellow former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos under the PFL banner last February.
He’s currently days away from returning to action under the banner of Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship this weekend.
