Tag: 2024 PFL World Championship

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

‘Tone Deaf’ PFL Faces Backlash From Fans After Announcing Music Act For World Championship

With growing discontent from sidelined fighters and unexplained event cancellations, announcing a musical performance from Nav wasn’t exactly the statement fans were hoping for from the Professional Fighters League (PFL)… The promotion is returning to Saudi Arabia this week to stage both its PFL World Championship and MENA Championship cards from the King Saud University […]

With growing discontent from sidelined fighters and unexplained event cancellations, announcing a musical performance from Nav wasn’t exactly the statement fans were hoping for from the Professional Fighters League (PFL)…

The promotion is returning to Saudi Arabia this week to stage both its PFL World Championship and MENA Championship cards from the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.

With showcase fights getting underway at 7:15 AM ET and four inaugural MENA titles being handed out before a main card commencing at 1 PM ET, it’s set to be a long day of action for those planning to tune in from the start.

And what better way to prolong things than a concert from Nav…is apparently what was said with a worrying level of seriousness at PFL headquarters this month.

The announcement regarding Nav’s inclusion on the lineup for the Nov. 29 event came days on from a host of prominent fighters under the organization’s banner speaking out against their treatment.

In a year which had already seen Cris Cyborg frequently bemoan how long it took for her return to come together, medical issues surrounding the likes of Sabah Homasi and Daiane Silva, canceled events, and a lawsuit from Gegard Mousasi, reigning Bellator champions Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Patchy Mix recently slammed the PFL amid their ongoing inactivity.

With that in mind, fans didn’t take kindly to the latest instance of a combat sports promotion not learning that the masses do not want mid-card performances.

We’ll give you this one for free, PFL. They want fights.

PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up. Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin […]

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

“It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”

PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up. Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin […]

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

“It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”