ACTION HEATS UP AS PFL MENA HEADS INTO POSTSEASON ON SEPTEMBER 20

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, 28 August 2024 - The Professional Fighters League (PFL), the fastest-growing and most innovative sports league in the world, has announced the semifinal matchups set to take place at PFL MENA 3, which will happen live from the PFL MENA Studio in Boulevard City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Tickets are now on sale and can be booked through WeBook here.

Fighters in the Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight Divisions will compete for a spot in the PFL MENA Finals and will look to move one win away from becoming among the inaugural PFL MENA Champions.

In the main event, Saudi Arabia’s own Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-1) takes on Jordan’s Abdelrahman Alhyasat (4-0) in the Featherweight Semifinals. Meanwhile, the co-main event will feature PFL veteran and former two-division champion Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-6) of Jordan taking on Egypt’s Omar El Dafrawy (11-6) in a Welterweight Semifinal bout.

PFL MENA 3 will air live in primetime on MBC Action; the free-to-air broadcasts will be accessible to fans across the region. In addition to PFL MENA, MBC Action will air the PFL Global Season, PFL Europe, Bellator Champions Series and PFL’s Pay-Per-View Superfight Division events.

Other Semifinals matchups will feature Algeria’s Souhil Taïri (7-4-1) taking on Mohsen Mohammadseifi (5-1) of Iran in the Lightweight Division, while Iraq’s Ali Taleb (10-1) meets Jordan’s Jalal Al Daaja (11-8) in the Bantamweight Division.

Jerome Mazet, General Manager of PFL MENA, said: “We’re very excited to be heading into the playoffs of the inaugural PFL MENA season. Fighters in the Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight Divisions are competing for a spot in the finals and are looking to become the first PFL MENA champions. We’re building stars here, and we can’t wait to see who makes it to the finale.”

See the complete PFL MENA 2 fight card below:

Featherweight Semifinal bout:
Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-1) vs. Abdelrahman Alhyasat (4-0)

Welterweight Semifinal bout:
Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-6) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (11-6)

Welterweight Semifinal bout: 
Mohammad Alaqraa (6-0) vs. Badreddine Diani (8-3)

Lightweight Semifinal bout:
Souhil Taïri (7-4-1) vs. Mohsen Mohammadseifi (5-1)

Bantamweight Semifinal bout:
Ali Taleb (10-1) vs. Jalal Al Daaja (11-8)

Featherweight Semifinal bout:
Islam Reda (11-1) vs. Marouaune Bellagouit (5-0)

Bantamweight Semifinal bout:
Elias Boudegzdame (19-8) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (14-3)

Lightweight Semifinal bout:
Georges Eid (9-4, 1NC) vs. Omar Reguigui (4-0, 1NC)
**Georges Eid will face Omar Reguigui, replacing Abdullah Saleem who didn’t pass the in-competition drug test.

Alternate Featherweight Showcase bout:
Adam Meskini (8-3) vs. Yazeed Hasanain (3-1)

PFL MENA 3 inside PFL MENA Studio, at Boulevard City, Saudi Arabia will be the third installment of the thrilling four-event, sport-season format featuring the region’s top fighters and a groundbreaking initiative with SURJ Sports Investments ("SURJ"). The rest of the inaugural season will take place across key markets in the Middle East.

PFL is the only organization in MMA with a 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, the same percentage as UFC. PFL has an expansive global vision for the sport and is building the “Champions League of MMA” with PFL Europe, PFL MENA, 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 primetime on ESPN/ESPN+ in the U.S. and is broadcast and streamed in 150 countries with 20 premium media distribution partners.

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ABOUT PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS LEAGUE
Professional Fighters League (PFL) is a global powerhouse in MMA and the fastest-growing sports league worldwide. 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 SRJ, Ares, Knighthead, Luxor Capital, Waverley Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, and numerous NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS team owners. MMA is the growth sports business of this decade, with 650 million fans worldwide, the youngest audience demographic, and true global revenue streams.

ABOUT SURJ SPORTS INVESTMENT
SURJ Sports Investment is a MENA-based sports investment powerhouse, accelerating global sports through game-changing investments and innovation. It made its inaugural investment in PFL in 2023, helping bring one of the fastest growing players in combat sports to the region. The investment has seen the launch of a brand-new regional league, the PFL MENA League – forging new pathways to the top for regional talent. Its mandate and long-term vision is to advance the global sports ecosystem through impactful investments, creating opportunities for fans and athletes alike.