ABDULLAH AL-QAHTANI THRILLS HOME CROWD WITH PFL MENA TITLE ON HISTORIC NIGHT FOR MMA IN SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi’s Al-Qahtani wins PFL MENA Featherweight title with first-round knockout
Native hero Hattan Alsaif extends excellent begin to MMA profession with thrilling stoppage
Inaugural PFL MENA Championship topped 4 Arab champions
5-fight card a part of a stacked occasion in Riyadh led by PFL World Championship
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (29 November 2024) – The inaugural PFL MENA Championship delivered an unforgettable spectacle at King Saud College in Riyadh on Friday as native hero Abdullah Al-Qahtani thrilled the house crowd by claiming the Featherweight PFL MENA Championship title.
The Saudi Arabian fighter, often called “The Reaper”, was one in every of 4 PFL MENA champions topped on a watershed evening for blended martial arts within the area as a part of a five-fight card that includes Arab fighters.
Competing within the headline bout of the PFL MENA Championship, forward of the PFL International Season Championship, Al-Qahtani ensured a becoming finish to the historic event with an excellent first-round knockout of Morocco’s Marouane Bellagouit.
The ultimate transfer started with an ideal proper hand that despatched Bellagouit flying to the bottom, and sensing a end, Al-Qahtani moved in to finish the job with a barrage of highly effective punches to say the title and ship the packed crowd into raptures. The 27-year-old’s skilled file now stands at 10-2.
On what it means to win the PFL MENA title on entrance of his residence followers, Al-Qahtani mentioned: “I’ve been ready for this belt for a very long time. To win the belt right here in Saudi Arabia, I dedicate it to all my individuals and my household. I’m very completely satisfied for this.”
Al Qahtani thanked the gang for his or her assist and offering him the power to get the victory, including: “After I’m within the cage I really feel that it’s not simply me who’s combating – all the gang, all of the persons are with me and it offers me an enormous push.”
Within the co-main occasion of the PFL MENA card, Egypt’s Omar El Dafrawy continued his exceptional resurgence with a sensational second-round TKO of Kuwaiti Mohammad Alaqraa to say the PFL MENA Welterweight title.
Following 4 straight defeats, the 29-year-old has rebuilt his MMA profession in beautiful model and his win on Friday evening was his seventh in a row to take his file to 13-6. El Dafrawy needed to climate a storm within the first spherical however got here out firing within the second. He caught a physique kick from Alaqraa and rained down punches and hammer fists for an unbelievable knockout victory.
On his beautiful profession turnaround, El Dafrawy mentioned: “It’s these particulars within the psychological sport that had been missing. Not as a result of I didn’t know what to do, it was as a result of I used to be simply speeding into issues after I had a lot stuff occurring exterior [of MMA] in my private life.
“An expert athlete must be very clear. I dwell in one of the vital laidback locations on Earth: Bali. Have you ever heard of a fighter who lives in Bali? Nobody! However that is the place I discovered my peace and it takes quite a lot of self-discipline. So when you understand how to self-discipline your self in very distracting environments, you may rule the world.”
It was for the third PFL MENA bout when the occasion really got here alive because the sizeable crowd inside the world threw their assist behind Saudi trailblazer Hattan Alsaif, who duly delivered with very good stoppage of Algeria’s Lilia Osman.
Alsaif made historical past as the primary Saudi lady to signal with a significant world MMA promotion when she joined the PFL in January, and the rising star made certain to please her followers all through an exhilarating struggle.
The 23-year-old fed off the scorching power of the followers, her each strike, takedown, and grapple greeted with thunderous cheers. A high-octane first spherical noticed each fighters have levels of success, though Alsaif all the time appeared way more harmful.
The knockout got here within the second spherical as Alsaif landed a collection of thumping knees to Osman’s physique to ship the Algerian debutant to the canvas, sparking a roaring response from the followers. Alsaif’s novice MMA file now reads 3-0 with all three victories coming by stoppage.
Requested to replicate on her efficiency, Hattan Alsaif mentioned: “All of my fights are robust to be trustworthy, as a result of you could put together mentally, bodily, energy – you could be ready for every thing. You by no means know what plan your opponent has for you. So it was a tough struggle, however I loved each single second and I’m prepared for what’s to return subsequent.”
Within the second bout on the PFL MENA Championship card, Iraq’s Ali Taleb collected the Bantamweight title with a spectacular first-round knockout of Moroccan Rachid El Hazoume. Taleb received maintain of El Hazoume’s proper leg and loaded up a large proper hand to knock his opponent out chilly within the opening spherical.
The emphatic victory, Taleb’s third in succession, extends the Sweden-based fighter’s professional MMA file to 12-1.
On turning into the primary PFL MENA Bantamweight champion, Taleb mentioned: “I really feel like I’m dreaming however I’m not dreaming. It’s laborious work I put in throughout coaching that paid off.”
Commenting on his one-punch knockout, Taleb added: “This hand, bro, after I join, they sleep. All respect to all of my opponents, nevertheless it’s true, after I join, they sleep.”
Kicking off the motion, Iran’s Mohsen Mohammadseifi clinched the Light-weight MENA Championship title with a unanimous determination victory over George Eids of Lebanon.
An intriguing contest burst into life through the fourth spherical when Mohammadseifi despatched Eids to the canvas, however the Lebanese fighter recovered rapidly and completed the spherical robust, a lot to the delight of the robust and vocal Lebanese crowd.
Mohammadseifi, a five-time kung-fu world champion, finally did sufficient to safe the victory on the scorecards; his larger strike quantity and land charge and superior stamina proving the distinction on this title struggle to increase his win streak to seven bouts. The Iranian’s skilled MMA file now stands at 7-2.
PFL MENA is making a pathway for athletes from the area to compete within the PFL International Season. The championship bouts, for each the International Season and PFL MENA, had been 5, five-minute rounds, and for the primary time within the historical past of the PFL Championships, the rule set allowed elbows.
PFL MENA Championships Outcomes:
Abdullah Al-Qahtani (10-2) def. Marouane Bellagouit (6-1) through TKO at 3:21 of spherical one
Omar El Dafrawy (13-6) def. Mohammad Alaqraa (7-1) through TKO at :57 of spherical twoHattan Alsaif (3-0) def. Lilia Osmani (0-1) through KO at 1:37 of spherical two
Ali Taleb (12-1) def. Rachid El Hazoume (15-4) through KO at 1:25 of spherical one
Mohsen Mohammadseifi (7-2) def. Georges Eid (10-5) through unanimous determination (50-45 x2, 49-46)
PFL Showcase Bouts Outcomes:
Mansour Barnaoui (22-6) def. Alfie Davis (17-5-1) through submission [rear-naked choke] at 3:41 of spherical three
Slim Trabelsi (8-0) def. Abraham Bably (5-1) through break up determination (29-28×2, 28-29)Gabriel Braga (15-2) def. Jeremy Kennedy (19-5) through unanimous determination (29-28 x3)
Asael Adjoudj (9-1) def. Jose Perez (9-2) through submission [guillotine choke] at 1:10 of spherical three
Costello van Steenis (16-3) def. Joao Dantas (7-2) through KO at :48 of spherical one
