Professional Fighters League will hold a championship twin bill
of sorts in Saudia Arabia next month.
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The promotion announced on Saturday that both the
PFL Championships and the PFL MENA finals will take place on
Nov. 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The evening’s main card will
feature title bouts in six PFL weight classes, topped by a
featherweight championship clash between Brendan
Loughnane and Timur
Khizriev.
Meanwhile, the undercard will feature PFL MENA title bouts at
welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight. All
told, the PFL World Championships event will showcase 10 five-round
bouts.
“The Championships are the culmination of our sports-season format,
where PFL athletes have beaten the odds to reach this point in the
toughest test in all of sports,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a
release. “There are multiple athletes competing who I am excited to
see take that next step in their careers, while there are also
returning champions who I’m curious to see if they can reach the
pinnacle again. That’s what makes this so great.”
This will be the first time that the PFL Championships will also
include finals from one of its regional organizations. According to
a release, Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the event “marks a significant
milestone in (the country’s) continued commitment to growing the
sport of MMA.”
“Participation in MMA across Saudi Arabia has grown by more than
20% over the past year, with world-class events such as this a huge
driver in increasing interest among our nation’s youthful
population,” Abdullah Al Hazza, CEO of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts
Federation said. “Hosting the Championships for the 2024 PFL Global
Season strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position on the world MMA map,
with the exposure and experience gained for our athletes invaluable
in their development. This includes showcasing MMA to women, and
the return of Hattan
Alsaif – the first ever Saudi woman to sign with a major global
MMA promotion – to the November card is a welcome moment for our
country’s combat sports community.”
The PFL Championships will air on ESPN+ in the United States
beginning with the main card at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT, while prelims
stream at noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT.Mohammad Alaqraa vs Omar El Dafrawy
Abdalrahman Alhyasat vs Islam Reda Ali Taleb vs Rachid El Hazoume
Mohsen Mohammadseifi vs Georges Eid