The UFC Is Starting To See More Competition, Could This Be A Concern?
UFC 311 was a massive success, as it saw both UFC Champions Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili retain their world titles. However, UFC is not the only promotion that has thrived lately, as more competition has been building in the combat sports world. This includes PFL, GFL, BKFC, along with other companies. Could this new resurgence of competition be a problem for the UFC after years of domination?
The Global Fight League is a new company that many are already calling the second-biggest MMA promotion in North America. They have signed the likes of Tyron Woodley, Anthony Pettis, and Tony Ferguson, all former UFC Champions. It is the first global MMA promotion to have a team-based format, with MMA legends such as Cain Velasquez, Lyoto Machida, and Wanderlei Silva acting as managers. The GFL will officially be launched in April 2025, though its draft has already taken place.
PFL was also in the mix earlier this month, as it was announced that Bellator events would be no more and the two companies would officially be merged. This took two already talented rosters and combined them, which can end up being very competitive to the UFC. On January 25th, 2025, the PFL held Champions League Series 1: Usman Nurmagomedov vs Paul Hughes, which saw Khabib Nurmagomedov’s younger cousin retain his Bellator Lightweight Championship and his undefeated record in what was considered a very controversial result. It was, however, a very successful event that took place in Dubai, a place that has historically been very good to Dagestani’s numbers-wise.
With that being said, none of this can be compared to the spectacle that the bare-knuckle promotion BKFC put on in Philadelphia. On January 25th, 2025, BKFC held KnuckleMania V, and in the main event, Eddie Alvarez returned to his hometown to take on Jeremy Stephens, in what was a highly-anticipated matchup. Both former UFC fighters had a personal feud heading into the fight which ultimately saw Stephens defeat Alvarez via corner stoppage after three rounds. The biggest thing that came from this event was the record-breaking attendance of 17,762 fans, which is higher numbers than any event the UFC has ever done in Philadelphia.
With the GFL, PFL, and BKFC all making massive moves in January 2025, it could result in some competition for the UFC. The GFL and PFL will be direct competition to the UFC as they are both MMA promotions, whereas BKFC will be attempting to turn bare-knuckle boxing into the marquee combat sport. However, the UFC is currently at a level where it is a mainstream sport all around the world, and no other combat sports league can even be compared to it. Although these companies will continue to grow their fanbase, the UFC is very well past the level of having to worry about other promotions in 2025.
