The Times Kuwait Report
The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league in the world, took the action to the next level, as the inaugural season of PFL MENA entered the postseason, with fighters in the Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight divisions clinching their spots in the PFL MENA Championship.
In a thrilling display of grit and technique Kuwait’s Mohammad Alaqraa was dominant in every aspect as he outclassed Amir Fazli for all three rounds en route to a unanimous decision win in their Welterweight Semifinal bout. Mohammed maintained his undefeated record of 7 fights securing up his spot in the 2024 PFL MENA championship final to be held in November.
Speaking to The Times Kuwait after his victory Mohammed said he was confident and excited to win the playoff on his path to the finals. He thanked all his fans in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for the support and encouragement.
Mohammed believes PFL Mena offers him a chance to prove that he is the best mixed martial artist in the Middle East.
In the Featherweight Semifinal main event, Abelrahman Alyhasat silenced the crowd in Riyadh with a unanimous decision victory over hometown hero Abdullah Al-Qahtani to advance to the 2024 PFL MENA Championships.
In the Welterweight Semifinal co-main event, Omar El Dafrawy stunned the crowd with a first-round TKO over heavy favorite Jarrah Al-Selawe to book his spot in the 2024 PFL MENA Championship.
After a thrilling three-round war, Mohsen Mohammadseifi earned his place in the 2024 PFL MENA Championship with a unanimous decision win over Souhil Tairi in their Lightweight Semifinal bout.
In the other Bantamweight Semifinal bout, Ali Taleb punched his way into the 2024 PFL MENA Championship with a first round knockout over Jalal Al Daaja.
A major announcement was also made during the card, as it was revealed that Saudi Arabian Light Heavyweight Mostafa Nada will welcome Egypt’s Ahmed Sami to the PFL SmartCage at Battle of The Giants: Brace for Impact on Saturday, October 19th at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In the first Featherweight Semifinal bout of the night, Islam Reda relied on his high-level grappling skills to earn a unanimous decision victory over Marouane Bellagouit and secure his spot in the 2024 PFL MENA Championship.
Rachid El Hazoume earned his spot in the 2024 PFL MENA Championship with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Elias Boudegzdame in their Bantamweight Semifinal bout.
Georges Eid was the first fighter to clinch a spot in the 2024 PFL MENA Championship after bulldozing Omar Reguigui with some devastating ground and pound to win by TKO in the opening round of their Lightweight Semifinal matchup.
In an amateur showcase bout in the Flyweight division, Malik Basahel picked up his eighth-straight win with a dominant showing against Saher Qasmieh, winning by unanimous decision. Kicking off the night’s action, Adam Meskini overcame a slow start and put on a strong performance in the final round to defeat Yazeed Hasanain by split decision.
The 2024 PFL MENA Championship matchups are now set:
Bantamweight: Rachid El Hazoume vs. Ali Taleb
Featherweight: Islam Reda vs. Abdelrahman Alyhasat
Lightweight: Georges Eid vs. Mohsen Mohammadseifi
Welterweight: Mohammad Alaqraa vs. Omar El Dafrawy
MMA is a combat sport with no restrictions on the types of techniques used in competition. These techniques can be striking and grappling and can happen both standing and on the ground. This is the nature of modern MMA, which incorporates techniques from traditional martial arts like boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and wrestling, and this is what makes the sport one of the most challenging in the world. It is also one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with a fan base that averages 35 years old. According to the IMMAF, MMA has500 millionfans globally.
Last year, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-owned Surge Sports Investment (SRJ)invested more than $100 million for a minority stake in PFL to advance the company’s global expansion and help develop its Middle East League.
