Four Champions will be decided in the first-ever PFL MENA Championships
PLUS - The return of Hattan Alsaif and five showcase bouts featuring former champions
and No. 1 contenders
All PFL MENA Championship fights will air live on MBC at 7.30 pm AGT
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (Nov. 11, 2024) – Professional Fighters League (PFL) today in partnership with Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF), announced the completed card for the 2024 PFL MENA Championships, which takes place on Friday, November 29 at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
All the PFL MENA Championship action can be seen live on MBC at 7.30pm AGT, and tickets for this massive night of Championship action are on sale now via webook.com.
PFL MENA’s inaugural season has reached its conclusion and four champions will be crowned in the Welterweight, Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight divisions. PFL MENA is creating a pathway for athletes from the region to compete in the PFL Global Season.
The main event of the evening will see the PFL MENA Featherweight Championship on the line when Jordan’s Abdalrahman Alhyasat (5-0) takes on Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2). In the co-main event, the PFL MENA Welterweight Championship will be decided between Kuwait’s Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) and Egypt’s Omar El Dafrawy (12-6). At 135-pounds, Iraq’s Ali Taleb (11-1) meets Morocco's Rachid El Hazoume (15-3) for the PFL MENA Bantamweight title, and the PFL MENA Lightweight Championship will be contested between Iran’s Mohsen Mohammadseifi(6-2) and Lebanon’s Georges Eid (10-4).
All Championship bouts at PFL MENA will be five, five-minute rounds, and for the first time in the history of the PFL Championships, the rule set will now allow elbows.
In addition to the Championship fights, undefeated Saudi Arabian star Hattan Alsaif will be in action against Algeria’s Lilia Osmani. There will also be five showcase bouts taking place during the must-see event, when former Bellator World Grand Prix participant Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) faces England’s Alfie Davis (17-4-1), undefeated heavyweights collide when Tunisia’s Slim Trabelsi (7-0) battles England’s Abraham Bably (5-0). At 145-pounds, 2023 PFL Featherweight titlist Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) will face former Bellator Featherweight contender Jeremy Kennedy (19-4), and France’s Asael Adjoudj (8-1) tangles with USA’s Jose Perez (9-1). Opening the card will be a middleweight showcase pitting Costello van Steenis (15-3) versus Brazil’s Joao Dantas (7-1).
PFL is the only organization in MMA with the sports-season format, where individual fighters compete in a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship each year. The combined roster of PFL and Bellator boasts 30% of its fighters independently world-ranked in the top 25 of their respective weight-class. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, PFL Africa, and more international leagues in development. PFL leads in technology and innovation, with its proprietary PFL SmartCage, powering fight analytics, real-time betting, AI scoring, and a next-generation viewing experience. PFL is available on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.
Friday, November 29 - 5:30pm AST / 2:30 pm GMT / 9:30 am EST
PFL MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (5-0) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2)
PFL MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (12-6)
Amateur Women’s Atomweight Bout: Hattan Alsaif vs. Lilia Osmani
PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (11-1) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (15-3)
PFL MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (6-1) vs. Georges Eid (10-4)
Showcase Fights:
Lightweight MENA Showcase: Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) vs. Alfie Davis (17-4-1)
Heavyweight MENA Showcase: Slim Trabelsi (7-0) vs. Abraham Bably (5-0)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (19-4)
Featherweight Global Showcase: Asael Adjoudj (8-1) vs. Jose Perez (9-1)
Middleweight Global Showcase: Costello van Steenis (15-3) vs. Joao Dantas (7-1)
ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league world-wide. PFL has five live fight franchises, offering year-round content: PFL League Season, PFL PPV Super Fights, PFL Challenger Series, PFL International Leagues, and Bellator. Founded in 2018, PFL is backed by major blue-chip investors including SURJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sport business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.
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About Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation
The Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF) was officially established on 16/06/1493H (4 March 2018) with the aim of promoting and regulating mixed martial arts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since its inception, the federation has been working towards elevating the status of the sport locally and internationally. The federation has a clear strategic plan to enhance the quality and performance of athletes, support their participation in national and international competitions, and raise awareness about mixed martial arts among the general public.
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