NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 19: A detail shot of the new UFC Legacy Championship belt during the UFC ... [+] Fight Night event at the Barclays Center on January 19, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesFormer UFC champion Renan Barao has signed with the Global Fight League (GFL). Baraos name is one of dozens of recognizable ones linked to the new MMA, team-based league set to debut in 2025.Barao, 37, is also another one of the fighters, former champions, and veterans whose advanced age may have fans wondering if they can still compete at a high level.PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 14: Renan Barao of Brazil poses for a portrait during a UFC photo ... [+] session on February 14, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesI was just training in jiu-jitsu when I received a call from my manager, Barao said, per Sherdog. I got it right away, Iiked the system and it will be a pleasure to defend Brazil in MMA. The proposal was good actually it could be better but anyway, it motivated me to return to an MMA training routine. I had high expectations to fight twice a year in the featherweight division and present myself in the best possible way.At one point, Renan Barao was widely considered the best fighter in the UFC. In 2014, Barao was the reigning UFC mens bantamweight champion. He won the title in 2012 when he scored a unanimous decision win over Urijah Faber at UFC 149.Barao defended his title three times, stopping Michael McDonald, Eddie Wineland, and Faber in a rematch before losing the title to TJ Dillashaw in May 2014.NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 01: (R-L) Renan Barao punches Urijah Faber in their bantamweight championship ... [+] fight at the UFC 169 event inside the Prudential Center on February 1, 2014 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesMORE FOR YOUBaraos battles with the scale at 135 pounds make it easy to see why he would be competing at featherweight, but it should be noted that the Brazilians last bouts werent pretty. Baraos UFC career ended on a five-fight losing streak, and the skid also included two weight misses.The last time Barao competed in MMA was in October 2023, where he lost a split decision to Walter Zamora. Perhaps the time off and the opportunity to compete at 145 pounds will rejuvenate Barao.Here is a look at the complete roster for the GFL in all weight classes:HeavyweightAlan BelcherAleksandr MaslovAleksei OleinikAndrei ArlovskiFabrcio WerdumFrank MirJunior dos SantosOli ThompsonGreg HardyGuto InocentePhilipe LinsRobelis DespaigneRoggers SouzaStuart AustinTanner BoserLight HeavyweightAlexander GustafssonCleiton SilvaEmiliano SordiIlir LatifiRafael CarvalhoThiago SantosDa Woon JungMiddleweightGegard MousasiChauncey FoxworthGlaico FrancaHctor LombardJared RevelJozef WittnerKyle DaukausMariusz KsiazkiewiczLuke RockholdMarkus PerezPhil HawesWanderlei SilvaWelterweightAbubakar NurmagomedovAustin TweedyAdilet NurmatovBenson HendersonDanny MitchellDominick MeriweatherFrancisco TrinaldoJoao ZeferinoJozef WittnerJordan MeinJulio SpadacciniMichael IrizarryRousimar PalharesRuan MachadoTyron WoodleyLightweightAmirkhon AlikhuzhaevAaron McKenzieAnthony PettisAlex OliveiraAyton De PaepeCharles RosaFeruz UsmonovGabriel Souza GalindoAyinda Nah Octave TiphaineChristian GiagosBenson HendersonAyinda OctaveJefferson PontesJeremy StephensJohn MakdessiKevin LeeKillys MotaLucas MartinsMohamed Tarek MoheyOscar OwnsworthRaimundo BatistaSidney OutlawStephen BeaumontWill BrooksWilliam LimaYan CabralFeatherweightAlexsandro Lopes CangatyBubba JenkinsAndre HarrisonClaudeci BritoDeberson BatistaLance PalmerMarcel AdurMarcelo DiasMarlon MoraesMohammad AbzakhPatrizio de Souza JanurarioRenan OliveiraRenan BaroBantamweightCameron ElseDenis PalancicaDiego TeixeiraJimmie RiveraMarciano FerreiraOmar ArteagaMarcus Paulo AmaralWomens BantamweightAlexa ConnersQueila BragaPannie KianzadTonya EvingerWomens FlyweightChiara PencoKalindra FariaMiao DingWomens StrawweightBi NguyenViviane PereiraSilvania MonteiroHannah GoldyJessica PenneKayla Hracho