Zach Waxman Wins 2025 NFBC Gladiator Championship & $10,000

[Greg Ambrosius]

Zach Waxman of Ancaster, Ontario won our third annual NFBC Gladiator Championship and the $10,000 grand prize. This unique contest had drafts throughout November, December and January last year and teams drafted their 23 starters and then let that roster ride during the year. There were no Free Agent pickups. There were no Set Lineup decisions. What you drafted is what you had for the entire year and that was that.

Zach's team stayed healthy long enough to capture the national championship against a record field of 1,950 teams. That was up 150 teams from the year before. Not only did Zach win this NFBC National Championship in 2025, but he also won the NFBC's Best Ball Championship last year. He now has won THREE NFBC National Championships, having won the debut NFBC Online Auction Championship in 2021. Not bad considering you first joined the NFBC in 2019. Well done Zach as there are very few players in the NFBC who have won THREE National Championships.

Zach, 42, drafted a bunch of these Gladiator Championship teams and he won 12 Gladiator League titles and had four runner-up finishes. His championship team was drafted on December 5th at Noon ET and it won the league title with 140.5 points. It won the national title with 17,835.5 points, which was 91.46 percent of all available points.

Zach's winning total of 17,835.5 points was 496.5 points better than that of Chase Coppersmith, who finished second with 17,359.0 points. Chase won $2,500 for his runner-up finish. Rounding out the Top 5 were John Fish ($2,000), Chase Coppersmith again ($1,500) and Brandon Gavett ($1,300).

Zach drafted from the 14th spot in this 15-team, 23-round draft. Remember, there are no reserves; what you draft is what you have scoring for you the entire year. Drafting healthy players is almost as important as drafting good players!!! Zach started with a foundation of Fernando Tatis Jr., Tarik Skubal, Chris Sale and Jacob deGrom. That's a great foundation that defied the odds and stayed healthy much of the year!!

This is a great, great format and we'll expand on it slightly this upcoming season. We'll try to condense all drafts into the November, December, January timeframe and still shoot for a few more leagues. Thanks all and congrats to all the prize winners in this format.

Here's the final standings:

2025 NFBC Gladiator Championship Top 100 Teams:
1 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #152 17,835.50
2 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #75 17,359.00
3 John Fish Perfect Imperfection GLAD 2 The Gladiator #84 17,356.00
4 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #88 17,229.00
5 Brandon Gavett Yet his son is a fucking dunce The Gladiator #245 16,983.50
6 David Branick Branick The Gladiator #141 16,760.00
7 Clark Olson Hell Bent For Leather The Gladiator #121 16,487.00
8 Dan Thompson MXC Foximus Gladiator 1 The Gladiator #99 16,410.50
9 Jerry Kirby Kirby The Gladiator #235 16,284.00
10 Nicholas Mariano Mariano The Gladiator #186 16,253.50
11 Drew Morris Morris The Gladiator #145 16,180.50
12 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #77 16,122.00
13 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #198 15,990.00
14 Sean McNeill gladwheels The Gladiator #195 15,972.50
15 Brian Edwards Edwards G12 The Gladiator #191 15,956.00
16 Timothy Pamperin Poland The Gladiator #54 15,943.00
17 Drew Forte Drew's Crew Glad The Gladiator #254 15,878.00
18 ANDREW DENINNO DENINNO The Gladiator #91 15,876.00
19 MIchael Meyer JV Team The Gladiator #208 15,868.50
20 Brandon Gavett You got a date Wednesday baby The Gladiator #121 15,823.00
21 SCOTT SLEZAK Kitty Sanchez The Gladiator #250 15,786.00
22 Anthony Hamley HAM G9 The Gladiator #190 15,784.50
23 Brandon Gavett A real fuckin brat The Gladiator #108 15,769.50
24 Brandon Gavett Lodged against an abutment The Gladiator #236 15,703.50
25 Kristopher Reed Fresh Ripe Peaches The Gladiator #211 15,688.50
26 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #91 15,675.50
27 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #113 15,659.50
28 Brian Edwards Edwards G8 The Gladiator #145 15,614.50
29 Ryan MacNeil Deel Left Field - GLD3 The Gladiator #156 15,610.50
30 Clark Olson Hell Bent For Leather The Gladiator #105 15,562.50
31 John Malanga HHH The Gladiator #153 15,561.50
32 Brian Edwards Edwards G10 The Gladiator #157 15,479.50
33 MICHAEL REGAN Heartless_G5 The Gladiator #196 15,444.00
34 Cj Kaltenbach SeigeGlad4 The Gladiator #198 15,443.50
35 John Fish Perfect Imperfection GLAD 20 The Gladiator #261 15,428.50
36 Brian Edwards Edwards G6 The Gladiator #130 15,397.00
37 Sam Thornton Fat Toads G3 The Gladiator #103 15,390.00
38 Jason Duponte romero The Gladiator #240 15,385.00
39 Damon Fleet EATTHERICH The Gladiator #43 15,382.50
40 TIMOTHY BUETHE BUETHE G3 The Gladiator #270 15,363.50
41 TIMOTHY BUETHE BUETHE G1 The Gladiator #217 15,282.00
42 David Branick Branick The Gladiator #69 15,256.00
43 Zachary Waxman Best of the Best The Gladiator #232 15,200.50
44 John Malanga HHH The Gladiator #209 15,084.00
45 Matt Moline Your Mom G3 The Gladiator #250 15,080.50
46 Brandon Gavett FORGET ABOUT THE FUCKING TOE The Gladiator #169 15,080.00
47 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #141 15,079.50
48 Jason Duponte castiglione The Gladiator #134 15,057.50
49 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #127 15,056.00
50 Timothy Pamperin USA The Gladiator #274 15,037.00
51 Russell Withers G 1 The Gladiator #47 15,010.50
52 @mazzjo01 Gladiator 3 The Gladiator #172 15,005.50
53 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #257 14,994.50
54 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #237 14,989.00
55 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #267 14,985.00
56 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #214 14,975.00
57 Brian Edwards Edwards G2 The Gladiator #52 14,968.00
58 ERIC FLATOW Pop dawg The Gladiator #105 14,903.00
59 adam fisher Phunk The Gladiator #58 14,876.00
60 Kristopher Reed Fresh Ripe Peaches The Gladiator #110 14,855.50
61 RICHARD ZITO Im Bringin Sexy Back The Gladiator #245 14,847.00
62 @ms79 G3-smms79 The Gladiator #88 14,841.00
63 Russell Withers G 2 The Gladiator #49 14,833.00
64 @chasec23 Chase Coppersmith The Gladiator #257 14,782.00
65 Brandon Gavett On you maybe The Gladiator #220 14,712.50
66 Kevin Carlson Carlson The Gladiator #212 14,676.50
67 adam fisher Illbite The Gladiator #102 14,676.00
68 Bruce Dahl Wesley's Hammers G 3 The Gladiator #237 14,672.00
69 Brandon Gavett Bill Kunstler or Ronald Kuby The Gladiator #208 14,658.00
70 John Fish Perfect Imperfection GLAD 19 The Gladiator #254 14,650.50
71 Scott Kotchek Kotchek The Gladiator #75 14,619.50
72 Spencer Thurmond Plethora of Pinatas The Gladiator #240 14,613.00
73 Vlad Sedler GladiGut4-Gunnar_Freeman_Kirby The Gladiator #64 14,594.50
74 James Maples Maples The Gladiator #63 14,565.00
75 gp churchill churchill 130 A 91 The Gladiator #130 14,546.50
76 MATTHEW ZAPPACOSTA ZAPPA G2 The Gladiator #113 14,507.00
77 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #256 14,490.50
78 David Duffy Don't Mountcastellanos The Gladiator #207 14,486.00
79 Vlad Sedler GL13- Tatis_Duran_Hader The Gladiator #209 14,482.50
80 Zachary Waxman Waxman The Gladiator #51 14,462.50
81 Clark Olson Hell Bent For Leather The Gladiator #55 14,458.50
82 Mike Berends Berends The Gladiator #52 14,447.00
83 ERICH SCHMITT SCHMITT The Gladiator #85 14,436.00
84 Steve Brunn Maximus 1 The Gladiator #49 14,431.50
85 Erik Halterman Halterman The Gladiator #211 14,417.00
86 Jonathan Rokofsky Rokofsky The Gladiator #99 14,409.50
87 Don Mathis Mathis The Gladiator #212 14,406.50
88 @mmitcham2 Mitch-Glad The Gladiator #184 14,405.50
89 ERICH SCHMITT SCHMITT The Gladiator #214 14,402.50
90 Jody Ryan Ryan Cruz Crochet Kirby Wood The Gladiator #204 14,387.50
91 Dan Iverson Mudcat Grant The Gladiator #104 14,384.50
92 Jason Duponte dombrowski The Gladiator #202 14,352.00
93 Drew Morris Morris The Gladiator #82 14,321.00
94 Drew Morris Morris The Gladiator #43 14,310.50
95 Scott Winhold Winhold The Gladiator #212 14,303.50
96 Michael Armstrong Master of my Domain The Gladiator #182 14,295.50
97 John Fish Perfect Imperfection GLAD 13 The Gladiator #193 14,285.50
98 Dane Nelson Jeff Blauser Gladiator The Gladiator #81 14,263.50
99 Zach Charpentier Charpentier G5 The Gladiator #63 14,262.50
100 Josh Coleman Coleman The Gladiator #217 14,261.00

[Greg Ambrosius]

Zach Waxman drafted from the 14th spot in his December 5th, Noon ET NFBC Gladiator Championship league. Here were his winning draft results:

Waxman:
1 14 Tatis Jr., Fernando OF Waxman
2 17 Skubal, Tarik P Waxman
3 44 Sale, Chris P Waxman
4 47 deGrom, Jacob P Waxman
5 74 Munoz, Andres P Waxman
6 77 Duran, Jhoan P Waxman
7 104 Contreras, Willson C Waxman
8 107 Caminero, Junior 3B Waxman
9 134 Crow-Armstrong, Pete OF Waxman
10 137 Lewis, Royce CI Waxman
11 164 Realmuto, J.T. C Waxman
12 167 Pena, Jeremy SS Waxman
13 194 O'Neill, Tyler OF Waxman
14 197 Hoerner, Nico 2B Waxman
15 224 Goldschmidt, Paul 1B Waxman
16 227 Story, Trevor MI Waxman
17 254 Lodolo, Nick P Waxman
18 257 Sanchez, Jesus OF Waxman
19 284 Adell, Jo OF Waxman
20 287 Rocker, Kumar P Waxman
21 314 Morel, Christopher UT Waxman
22 317 Hoffman, Jeff P Waxman
23 344 Bubic, Kris P Waxman

[Greg Ambrosius]

We had 150 more teams in 2025 than we had in the 2024 NFBC Gladiator Championship and thus we were able to increase the prizes across the board. Zach Waxman won $10,000 for winning the third annual NFBC Gladiator Championship and we paid the Top 26 overall. Here were the prizes:

2025 NFBC Gladiator Championship
Overall Prizes:
1 - $10,000
2 - $2,500
3 - $2,000
4 - $1,500
5 - $1,300
6 - $1,200
7 - $1,100
8 - $1,000
9 - $950
10 - $900
11 - $850
12 - $800
13 - $750
14 - $700
15 - $650
16 - $600
17 - $500
18 - $450
19 - $400
20 - $350
21 - $300
22 - $250
23 - $200
24 - $150
25 - $100
26 - $50


$50 League Prizes:
1 - $250
2 - $125
3 - * Free 2026 Gladiator Entry

[Greg Ambrosius]

Zach Waxman joins Mark Gannon and Robert Orr as the only national champions of the NFBC Gladiator Championship. We look forward to adding more through the years, but for now the list starts and ends with these three owers!!! Let's keep the list here:

NFBC Gladiator Championship Overall Champions:
2023 - Robert Orr
2024 - Mark Gannon
2025 - Zach Waxman

[Greg Ambrosius]

Even though this is a unique format where no moves can be made after Draft Day, it's still fun to see where the Top 20 teams drafted from. Interestingly, only 10 of the 15 draft spots were represented in the Top 20 and while Zach Waxman won the title from the 14th spot, he was the only drafter after the 10th spot to finish in the Top 20. Here's a look at where the Top 20 teams drafted from:

No. 1 - 1 team
No. 2 - 1 team
No. 3 - 4 teams
No. 4 - 4 teams
No. 5 - 2 teams
No. 6 - 2 teams
No. 7 - 0 teams
No. 8 - 3 teams
No. 9 - 1 team
No. 10 - 1 team
No. 11 - 0 teams
No. 12 - 0 teams
No. 13 - 0 teams
No. 14 - 1 team
No. 15 - 0 teams

Nos. 1-5: 12 teams
Nos. 6-10: 7 teams
Nos. 11-15: 1 team