Inspired by the kickoff of the 2025 NFL Draft, the MMA Fighting team is continuing its annual tradition. Just like in previous years, the crew is back to simulate a fantasy draft, dividing up the best fighters and biggest stars in the world of mixed martial arts.
For those who missed it last year, the premise is straightforward: MMA Fighting staff members Alexander K. Lee, Damon Martin, Mike Heck, and Jed Meshew each take control of one of four major MMA promotions. They then take turns drafting fighters to build their ideal rosters. After all the picks are made, readers vote on which team has assembled the most impressive collection of talent.
Draft Rules and Promotions
Here’s a quick recap of the rules. Last year`s simulation featured BKFC, ONE Championship, PFL, KSW, and the UFC, with Mike Heck`s BKFC roster being voted the winner. The promotion landscape changes year to year, and so does our draft setup. This year, UFC and PFL remain. Last year`s champion, BKFC, also returns. However, with ONE Championship focusing less on MMA and KSW being a fun but less central inclusion last year, we`ve opted to include the new entrant to the scene, GFL. This might be the only year we can include them!
The general managers were randomly assigned to new organizations for this year`s draft. Damon Martin is managing GFL, Alexander K. Lee is heading up PFL, Jed Meshew is running BKFC, and Mike Heck is taking the reins at the UFC. As the newest promotion, GFL gets the first pick in each round, followed by PFL, then BKFC, with the UFC finishing each round.
With the rules covered, let`s get started!
The 2025 Simulated MMA Draft Picks
Round 1
GFL (Damon Martin): At GFL, our immediate goal isn`t just creating viral moments, but simply putting on a single show! Our first pick, none other than Conor McGregor, might actually make that possible. While most No. 1 picks are looking for a big contract, we`re hoping Conor might lend us a loan to promote our debut card. He can be the face, the president if he wants – just make sure the check clears!
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): Here at “The League,” as Donn Davis and I call it, we`ve highlighted Francis Ngannou as MMA`s top heavyweight. However, Ngannou`s time in the fight game is likely short. So, let`s bring in the true top heavyweight: Mr. Tom Aspinall. Tommy Boy fits perfectly with our global ambitions, he`s a great ambassador, and incredibly exciting in the cage. Opposition isn`t the priority; we have our new company face.
BKFC (Jed Meshew): Some will say I`m shamelessly copying Mike`s strategy from last year with BKFC. And I say, “Duh!” We had the same idea, but he picked before me and snagged all the fun fighters. Not this year! Alex “Poatan” Pereira might not be a UFC champion anymore, but that doesn`t matter to me or the good folks at BKFC. I just want to see him land some bare-knuckle blows. Is that too much to ask?
UFC (Mike Heck): Folks, no sugarcoating it – we`ve been cruising without worry, not having to try hard. But fan frustration is growing. We need to keep the guy with the highest ceiling on the entire roster, both in skill and star power. Ilia Topuria was the absolute must-protect fighter in the UFC, and we weren`t letting him out of the first round for obvious reasons.
Round 2
GFL (Damon Martin): Nobody does the draft better than the GFL! With our second pick, we`re going for the greatest of all time. At 37, Jon Jones is slightly on the younger side for our organization, but we`ll take the risk. Jones has also indicated his career is nearing its end, which aligns with our company philosophy – we probably don`t have much time left either!
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): The League is where the best compete – Donn, have you seen how many of our athletes are ranked? How can we claim this without the Pound-for-Pound best fighter in the world, Islam Makhachev? Frankly, he fits the style of many of our champions. Even if he doesn`t bring in casual fans (who needs them?), he`s an on-brand selection and an incredible talent to boost our elite roster.
BKFC (Jed Meshew): As a major proponent of Dricus du Plessis among MMA media since his UFC arrival, this pick is as much about his in-ring potential as my personal preference. DDP is a special athlete and star. While he has grappling skills, he`ll fit nicely as a powerful striker. Plus, du Plessis gives us a great connection to South Africa, a potentially huge market given their love for rugby (which is essentially bare-knuckle football with fighting).
UFC (Mike Heck): If Ilia Topuria was No. 1 on our must-keep list, Dakota Ditcheva is No. 1 on the must-have list. The 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. Let`s rip off the Band-Aid and give everyone – except the PFL – exactly what they want.
Round 3
GFL (Damon Martin): With Tom Aspinall off the board, we need someone for Jon Jones to fight in his GFL debut (possibly his only fight for GFL). We`re bringing back the matchup everyone wanted a couple years ago. He`s been out of sight in PFL, but Francis Ngannou is still one of the most ferocious fighters in the world, and putting him against Jones is exactly the kind of matchup we need.
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): I see what GFL is doing… and I don`t like it. Fortunately, we anticipated a Francis loss and have passive-aggressive tweets ready for his first GFL fight announcement (kidding… or are we?). We thank Ngannou for his services and move to the newest sensation, former UFC star Paddy Pimblett. We have the substance with Makhachev, and now significant sizzle with the popular “Baddy” from Liverpool.
BKFC (Jed Meshew): Look, are there “better” fighters available? Probably. But BKFC is a lifestyle as much as a promotion, and is anyone more fitting for our particular brand of shenanigans right now than Michael “Venom” Page? Heck, we`ll even let him smoke cigarettes on the way to the ring and help design custom Marlboro Red fight shorts.
UFC (Mike Heck): First off, this should have been a snake draft, and Paddy Pimblett would have stayed on the roster. But I won`t dwell on that… Since I can`t keep Pimblett, the UFC`s focus remains fun and exciting, and no division needs it more than heavyweight. We`ll matchmake correctly for Michael Page (see pick No. 5, and apologies to KSW), ensuring everyone tunes in to watch. Additionally, this pick hurts BKFC and GFL based on fighter age. Excited to have him.
Round 4
GFL (Damon Martin): 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 the GFL, and we believe Rousey can make a similar comeback. True, she hasn`t fought in nine years, but that kind of layoff practically demands a return! We already have Holly Holm under contract, so maybe a rematch is possible, or this draft might present another opponent for “Rowdy” in her GFL debut.
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): Listen, I`ll just say it: If you vote for GFL as the winner, you are a bad person. Explain yourself! We`re keeping the momentum with another exciting fighter and the second “Fighting Nerd” drafted, “Lord” Jean Silva. His stock couldn`t be higher after defeating Bryce Mitchell, and he`s an incredible addition to our overlooked featherweight team.
BKFC (Jed Meshew): Oof. That stings a bit; I was hoping to grab Silva this round for a Fighting Nerds tag team, but alas. Great pick for PFL, and we`ll adjust our plans slightly by taking my other large, adult son, Jiri Prochazka. Aside from the Pudzianowski-Hall fight (which Heck ruined!), there`s no fight I want to see more in MMA. I don`t need a belt involved, just to see these two large, violence-loving weirdos collide. And now I can.
UFC (Mike Heck): There is no way we are allowing Dustin Poirier to have his final fight outside of the UFC. Out of the few realistically exciting and emotional possibilities in the UFC in 2025, Poirier’s Last Dance is one. Poirier vs. Holloway 3 is a fitting end to one of the most fun careers in UFC history, and it will happen in New Orleans.
Round 5
GFL (Damon Martin): Listen, we need some excitement, and frankly, there`s a chance none of our first four picks actually fight for us – much like we probably won`t ever put on a show. But all is not lost. With Justin Gaethje, we get a guy who is still a top lightweight, never has boring fights, and is remarkably durable and dependable, which this promotion definitely needs.
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): Khamzat Chimaev, I cannot quit you. For the second straight year, I`m taking a chance on a guy who might be the best fighter in the world? We may never know. But undeniably, every time Chimaev walks to the cage, it`s must-watch television. And hey, our stars only fight once a year anyway, so our schedules align perfectly!
BKFC (Jed Meshew): Look, is it possible this is a wasted pick? Absolutely. But here at BKFC, we stand by our own. GFL already took our co-owner in the first round; we can`t afford to lose the face of our promotion. Mike Perry helped build us into what we are today, and he remains the perfect representative of bare-knuckle fighting.
UFC (Mike Heck): You`re welcome, Jed. See pick No. 3. That is all.
Round 6
GFL (Damon Martin): The steal of the draft! Technically, Gina Carano never officially retired, making her “fresher” than Rousey right now (despite not competing for almost 16 years). Carano nearly attempted a comeback a few years ago, deeply discussing a potential fight against Rousey with the UFC. Well, potential is all we have here, so why not try to put together the Carano vs. Rousey fight in 2025 that nobody was asking for?
PFL (Alexander K. Lee): I genuinely thought Damon drafted “Nick Diaz,” and the fact that the confusion was even possible makes me so angry. We`re thinking outside the box for our last pick, with numerous champions, stars, and PFL names I probably should protect 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 talk about it (smirk). The League is about generating mainstream buzz, and what better way than getting Dwayne Johnson to promote the inspiring story of his friend Themba. And if there`s one thing we learned about Rocky from WrestleMania, it`s that when he commits to a story, he follows through (multiple smirks, prayer hands)!
BKFC (Jed Meshew): And now it`s time to look to the future. BKFC has a specific brand, and finding stylistic fits isn`t always easy, but this one looks good. Kevin Hughes is always ready to fight, and he`s an emerging talent who can also talk. Hughes is our succession plan for when Mike Perry and our aging roster start moving towards retirement.
UFC (Mike Heck): Oh, Jed, you stole my pick! But that`s okay, I have a fantastic backup plan. Doumbé-mania is coming to the UFC, and unlike PFL, we will matchmake correctly for Cedric Doumbe. No wrestlers, no grapplers (at least not anytime soon), just highlight reels. This is why Doumbe got into the sport, and PFL polished him up nicely for us. Now, we can make him the star he deserves to be.
Final Draft Rosters
- GFL (Damon Martin): Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Francis Ngannou, Ronda Rousey, Justin Gaethje, Gina Carano
- PFL (Alexander K. Lee): Tom Aspinall, Islam Makhachev, Paddy Pimblett, Jean Silva, Khamzat Chimaev, Themba Gorimbo
- BKFC (Jed Meshew): Alex Pereira, Dricus du Plessis, Michael Page, Jiri Prochazka, Mike Perry, Kevin Hughes
- UFC (Mike Heck): Ilia Topuria, Dakota Ditcheva, Michael Page, Dustin Poirier, Gadzhi Rabadanov, Cedric Doumbe
Murray Blackwood