The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will look to kick off the new year in style when it touches down in Dubai for the first Champions Series event of 2025.
After completing its 2024 schedule with the PFL Europe Championship event in Lyon, France last week, the PFL’s attention will turn to a year that looks set to be key in its pursuit of building a fanbase and becoming legitimate competition to the UFC.
There remains a lot of uncertainty entering 2025, especially regarding the status of a host of Bellator fighters who have made their frustration with their new employers known publicly.
While there hasn’t been much in response to the likes of Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix’s complaints, founder Donn Davis has surfaced on social media to promise that the PFL will stage more cards than ever in the new year.
That starts on Jan. 25 at UAE’s Coca-Cola Arena, where a seemingly revamped version of this year’s Bellator Champions Series will debut. While the Bellator brand is no longer mentioned in the event name, one of its champions will be in action as lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov defends his gold against Paul Hughes.
The goal is simple for @BellatorMMA Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov
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#RoadtoDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE pic.twitter.com/AUSJcMTyhG
— PFL (@PFLMMA) December 17, 2024
And this week, the PFL has rolled out the full undercard, mostly made up of rising names from the Middle East.
The organization is reportedly looking to put a late-notice co-headliner together after two matchups announced for Vadim Nemkov fell through. After a clash with Ante Delija was announced despite the Croatian being injured, a heavyweight trilogy versus Corey Anderson was set instead.
That evidently was announced prematurely, too, with the Russian seemingly turning down another battle with the current Bellator light heavyweight titleholder.
Main Card:
- Bellator Lightweight Title: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)
- Featherweight: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)
- Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)
- Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)
Preliminary Card:
- Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) vs. Ahmed Samy (11-4)
- Flyweight: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1) vs. Ruel Pañales (5-2)
- Middleweight: Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-7)
- Lightweight: John Mitchell (9-2) vs. Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)
- Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani (4-1) vs. Assem Ghanem (4-0)
- Middleweight: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Haider Khan (8-1)
- Lightweight: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2)
