UFC veteran Danny Roberts refused to let himself see the signs that GFLs launch might be too good to be true.
The former octagon star, who faced now-world champion Jack Della Maddalena among other major names, was released on the back of a Fight of the Night winner in 2023. He spent some time on the sidelines, before agreeing to face Neiman Gracie on the opening night of the GFL season.
Roberts was set to join former world champions like Anthony Pettis, Benson Henderson and Holly Holm on the star-studded card. But it fell apart, to little surprise from the fighting world, and he has now landed on his feet with a headliner in Brussels for his PFL debut.
Former UFC welterweight Danny Roberts was set to fight on the inaugural GFL card, but was forced to take a different route when it all fell apart. There was due to be a weekend of action in Los Angeles before the showcase was cancelled altogether.
You put a fighter in a compromised position, theres a reason why we are fighters, he explained in an exclusive chat with Bloody Elbow ahead of tonights fight in Brussels, which is available on the PFL app. Were just fing wired different.
No one is going to tell me its not going to happen until I actually see that its not happening Im still going to train like Danny the dog. I still put myself on the front foot and gave myself the best chance of being able to establish myself if it does happen.
My whole mindset and heart was to put hours and hours of work into that fight just for a little bit of glory. Nobody else will understand that unless theyre a fighter, theyre not the ones beating up their bodies time and time again then going home and staying away from distractions.
If I give so much to something, I have to be the one person who has hope that its going to prevail and that was my job.
Instead of GFL, Roberts moved on to the PFL where he gets a massive opportunity tonight in Brussels. He takes on undefeated Patrick Habirora in a main event to start his tenure. The Belgian is 6-0, but has yet to face anyone near the UFC calibre of his British opponent.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images A lot of people think youre only as good as your last performance and they forget, he noted. Look at the Kamaru Usman thing thats just gone, he was on a three-loss thing like me and they all thought youre done.
Its like come on, look at the accolades, look at the content of what makes that person an individual and a fighter and who they are& I feel like youve got to be delusional to achieve greatness and he clearly has that, but sometimes being delusional can get you hurt and its just the wrong time for him.
