Former UFC Champ And Future Hall-Of-Famer Surprisingly Lands With GFL

Chris Weidman retired from the UFC, not MMA. There is a difference.

On Friday at the inaugural Global Fight League draft, many MMA fans got a bit of a surprise when they saw Weidman’s name pop up as a fighter in the new league’s draft pool.

Take a listen to how specifically he spoke on the UFC 311 weigh-in show when he announced his “retirement.”

He never said he was done fighting.

Former UFC Champion Chris Weidman Drafted by the GFL

Weidman wasn’t just in the pool. The former UFC middleweight champion was drafted in the second round by the New York team and he appeared on the stream to explain why he was choosing to continue his career with the newly formed GFL.

According to Weidman, he was intrigued by the team component that reminded him of his collegiate wrestling days, and he still has the itch to compete. Here is a look at the entire GFL Draft stream.

Weidman’s interview begins at the 2:34:58 mark.

Weidman’s wrestling figures to play a major role in his contributions to the GFL as a fighter and a captain for the New York team. No one in UFC middleweight history recorded more takedowns.

Most Takedowns in UFC Middleweight History

• 1. Chris Weidman - 43
• 2. Anthony Hernandez - 41
• 3. Thales Leites - 37
• 4. Rafael Natal - 36
• 4. Derek Brunson - 36
• 6. Chael Sonnen - 35
• 7. Nate Marquardt - 33
• 7. CB Dollaway - 33
• 9. Jacob Malkoun - 31
• 10. Ed Herman - 30

Weidman joins a New York squad that also features the team’s No. 1 pick, Kevin Lee, Holly Holm, Dillon Danis, Neiman Gracie and others.

GFL action begins in April. The season is run on a points system, has standings with the campaign culminating in a tournament-like playoffs and finals before champions are crowned in the ten weight classes.

Weidman, 40 left the UFC with a record of 16-8. Along with Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya, Weidman is the only other man to have defended the UFC middleweight title three or more times.

There will come a time when Weidman is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. For now, he’s going to have at least one more fight in the cage with the GFL.

GFL Teams, Coaches and Fighters

Here is a look at all of the GFL teams, coaches and fighters.

Dubai

• Cain Velasquez (Coach)
• Tyron Woodley (19-7, Welterweight)
• Abu Nurmagomedov (17-4, Welterweight)
• Derek Brunson (24-9, Middleweight)
• Ali Isaev (9-0, Heavyweight)
• Luke Rockhold (16-6, Middleweight)
• Tofiq Musayev (22-5, Lightweight)
• Damir Ismagulov (26-3, Lightweight)
• Omari Akhmedov (24-8, Light Heavyweight)
• Ronny Markes (25-10, Light Heavyweight)
• Adilet Nurmatov (13-2, Featherweight)
• Timur Valiev (19-4, Bantamweight)
• Arlene Blencowe (16-10, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Khumoyun Tukhtamurodov (12-5, Featherweight)
• Anastasia Nikolakakos (5-0, Women’s Atomweight)
• Jessica Aguilar (21-10, Women’s Atomweight)
• Randi Field (5-1, Women’s Strawweight)
• Todd Duffee (9-4, Heavyweight)
• Alexa Conners (8-5, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Faine Mesquita Pereira (3-0, Women’s Strawweight)

Los Angeles

• Wanderlei Silva (Coach)
• Sage Northcutt (12-3, Lightweight)
• Aspen Ladd (12-5, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Tony Ferguson (26-11, Lightweight)
• Urijah Faber (35-11, Bantamweight)
• Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (13-3, Women’s Strawweight)
• Uriah Hall (18-11, Middleweight)
• Chad Mendes (18-5, Featherweight)
• Andrei Arlovski (34-24, Heavyweight)
• *Lorenz Larkin (27-8, Welterweight)
• Jessica Penne (14-8, Women’s Atomweight)
• Grant Neal (9-2, Middleweight)
• Rashad Evans (20-8, Light Heavyweight)
• Da Woon Jung (15-6, Light Heavyweight)
• Tyler Diamond (14-4, Featherweight)
• Cory McKenna (8-4, Women’s Atomweight)
• Ray Borg (16-5, Bantamweight)
• Cynthia Calvillo (10-6, Women’s Strawweight)
• Leslie Smith (12-9, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Frank Mir (19-13, Heavyweight)
• Farbod Iran Nezhad (12-3, Bantamweight)

London

• Luke Barnatt (Coach)
• Gegard Mousasi (49-9, Middleweight)
• Alex Gustafsson (18-8, Light Heavyweight)
• Josefine Knutsson (9-1, Women’s Strawweight)
• Brett Johns (20-5, Featherweight)
• Julia Budd (17-6, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Ilir Latifi (16-9, Light Heavyweight)
• Mariusz Ksiazkiewicz (11-2, Middleweight)
• Danny Roberts (18-9, Welterweight)
• Cameron Else (11-6, Bantamweight)
• Norman Parke (32-7, Welterweight)
• Stuart Austin (18-8, Heavyweight)
• Mike Grundy (12-4, Featherweight)
• Tanner Boser (21-10, Heavyweight)
• Josh Hill (22-7, Bantamweight)
• Louis Glismann (12-3, Welterweight)

Miami

• Thiago Alves (Coach)
• Junior dos Santos (21-10, Heavyweight)
• Anthony Pettis (25-14, Lightweight)
• Yoel Romero (16-7, Middleweight)
• Natasha Kuziutina (7-1, Women’s Atomweight)
• Philipe Lins (18-5, Light Heavyweight)
• Andre Harrison (22-3, Featherweight)
• Paige VanZant (8-5, Women’s Strawweight)
• Cat Zingano (14-5, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Marlon Moraes (23-13, Bantamweight)
• Thiago Santos (22-13, Light Heavyweight)
• Hector Lombard (34-10, Middleweight)
• Jeremy Stephens (29-21, Lightweight)
• Patrick Pitbull (25-14, Lightweight)
• Hannah Goldy (7-4, Women’s Strawweight)
• Charles Rosa (18-8, Featherweight)
• Dilano Taylor (12-5, Welterweight)
• Tim Wilde (17-6, Lightweight)
• Karolina Owcarz (5-3, Women’s Strawweight)
• Raphael Assuncao (27-10, Bantamweight)

São Paulo

• Lyoto Machida (Coach)
• Fabricio Werdum (24-9, Heavyweight)
• Douglas Lima (33-12, Middleweight)
• Carlos Petruzzella (13-0, Welterweight)
• Camila Reynoso (6-0, Women’s Strawweight)
• Viviane Pereira (16-4, Women’s Strawweight)
• Julio Arce (19-6, Featherweight)
• Maike Linhares (19-3, Featherweight)
• Bruno Cappelozza (15-7, Heavyweight)
• Mauricio Rua (27-14, Light Heavyweight)
• Carlos Antonio Junior (16-6, Light Heavyweight)
• Renan Barao (34-10, Bantamweight)
• Pamela Mara (6-4, Women’s Atomweight)
• Joice Mara (12-6, Women’s Atomweight)
• Paula Bittencourt (7-3, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Gleison Tibau (38-19, Welterweight)
• Alex Oliveira (25-16, Welterweight)
• Alan Belcher (18-8, Heavyweight)

New York

• (Coach?)
• Kevin Lee (20-8, Lightweight)
• Chris Weidman (16-8, Middleweight)
• Holly Holm (15-7, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Melissa Amaya (7-0, Women’s Strawweight)
• Kai Kamaka (14-6, Featherweight)
• Zviad Lazishvili (13-1, Bantamweight)
• Ovince Saint Preux (27-18, Light Heavyweight)
• Phillip Hawes (12-6, Middleweight)
• Devin Clark (14-9, Light Heavyweight)
• Lance Palmer (23-8, Featherweight)
• Neiman Gracie (13-6, Welterweight)
• Sidney Outlaw (19-6, Lightweight)
• Alexei Oleynik (61-17, Heavyweight)
• Jimmie Rivera (23-5, Bantamweight)
• Liana Jojua (8-6, Women’s Bantamweight)
• Alan Nuguette Silva (15-4, Middleweight)
• Mia Ding (18-8, Women’s Strawweight)