"Textbook Ponzi scheme" - Fans react as GFL allegedly cancels Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis and other fights amid "serious doubts" about future

By Nishant Zende.

Modified Apr 12, 2025 00:20 GMT

Fans on GFL scrapping their first two events featuring Tony Ferguson (left) and Dillon Danis (right). [Image courtesy: Getty Images]

Fans recently reacted to the GFL seemingly canceling the highly anticipated Tony Ferguson vs. Dillon Danis clash, among other fights, as the promotion deals with doubts about its future.

The new MMA promotion recently canceled its first two events set to go down in May in Los Angeles. Notable fights on these two cards included Ferguson vs. Danis, Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis, and Urijah Faber vs. Renan Barao, among others.

Veteran journalist Ariel Helwani recently shared the news on X, stating that the GFL is in a fight for its future as well. He wrote:

"GFL has canceled its first two events, scheduled for May 24 and 25 in Los Angeles, per multiple sources and confirmed by CSAC executive director Andy Foster. There are serious doubts about the future of the promotion. Reached out to founder Darren Owen but no reply at this time."

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

After Helwani shared the post, many flocked to the comments section to react.

Expand Tweet

One fan wrote:

"I've been trying to tell y'all for MONTHS the whole thing is a textbook Ponzi scheme."

Another posted:

"Sucks for all the fighters that thought they were gonna get paid a decent amount to compete."

Check out some more reactions below:

GFL founder addresses promotion's future in light of canceled opening events

GFL founder Darren Owen recently opened the promotion's future and explained why they had to scrap their highly anticipated opening events. Owen revealed that one of their main investors couldn't fulfill their responsibility, which affected their financial situation.

Speaking to Uncrowned, the GFL founder vowed to push forward and work on keeping the promotion going. Confirming that they will be postponing the opening events to June, he said:

"Working on a solution. My main investor didn’t fulfill his April obligation which has caused a problem. I’ll keep you posted, but I believe we will be able work through it. I think we can make it happen for June... Additionally, I don’t foresee the event taking place in California, but we absolutely will keep pushing forward." [H/t: Uncrowned on Yahoo Sports]

Expand Tweet

About the author

Nishant brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his MMA reporting for Sportskeeda. During his 1.5 years with the organization and previous work, Nishant has established himself as a prolific writer in the MMA community. With a Bachelor's degree in Media and Journalism and a Master's degree in International Relations, Nishant's educational background enhances his analytical and reporting skills.

Nishant admires UFC legend Georges St-Pierre for his dominance and exemplary conduct inside and outside the cage. The monumental UFC 229 event, headlined by a grudge match between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, captivated Nishant and solidified his passion for MMA.

Nishant focuses on delivering high-quality content by giving attention to detail, and rigorous fact-checking via multiple layers. His dedication is evident in his achievement of publishing over 1.7K articles and accumulating 4.4 million reads in less than two years.

Nishant feels that it is only a matter of time that MMA takes over Boxing as the no.1 combat sport. Beyond MMA, his interests include philosophy, music exploration, and wildlife photography.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by Nishant Zende.