Tag: PFL News

Exclusive | Abdullah Al-Qahtani: Saudi Arabia’s MMA Pioneer Inspired by Badr Hari

Abdullah Al-Qahtani Badr HariAbdullah Al-Qahtani made history on November 29, 2024, by winning the PFL MENA Featherweight Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia….

Abdullah Al-Qahtani Badr Hari

Abdullah Al-Qahtani made history on November 29, 2024, by winning the PFL MENA Featherweight Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 26-year-old fighter defeated Marouane Bellagouit by TKO in the first round, securing his place as one of the top names in MMA. With this victory, Al-Qahtani improved his professional record to 10-2, earning both the championship belt and a $100,000 prize.

Abdullah Al-Qahtani

This PFL MENA title was the culmination of years of hard work. “Oh, it’s perfect,” Abdullah Al-Qahtani told me in a conversation. “I worked for this, and now I got my belt. This is what I wanted from the beginning of my journey. I wanted something big.”

Badr Hari

Raised in Saudi Arabia with Moroccan roots, Al-Qahtani was inspired by the legendary kickboxer Badr Hari, a household name in Morocco. As a child, he would watch Hari on YouTube and TV, marveling at his knockout power. “When I saw Badr Hari, I thought, ‘This guy is huge!’” Al-Qahtani said. “I wanted to be like him.” What Badr Hari did for combat sports in Morocco, Al-Qahtani is looking to do the same in Saudi Arabia alongside the PFL.

Badr Hari

Looking ahead, Al-Qahtani is already planning his next steps. He’s excited for the future and eager to represent Saudi Arabia on the global stage. “I don’t just want to be a normal fighter,” he said. “I want to be someone people look up to.”

Abdullah Al Qahtani
Photo By Tim Wheaton

Interview with Abdullah Al-Qahtani

“F*** it” Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype “That’s Not My Problem”

"F*** it" Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype "That's Not My Problem"Francis Ngannou has had enough. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who left the promotion amid contract disputes in 2022,…

"F*** it" Francis Ngannou Cuts Ties with Jon Jones Hype "That's Not My Problem"

Francis Ngannou has had enough. The former UFC heavyweight champion, who left the promotion amid contract disputes in 2022, is putting an end to the persistent speculation surrounding a potential fight with Jon Jones, one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.

Francis Ngannou Talks Jon Jones

In a candid statement, Francis Ngannou dismissed any further discussions about the long-rumored bout, stating, “It’s been four years that I’ve been singing. I’m confused that people keep asking me this question, like, ‘Is it… it’s been four years. That’s not my problem. I don’t care about it anymore. If it happens, yes. If it doesn’t, f*** it.”

Ngannou’s frustration with the ongoing questions about a Jon Jones fight comes after years of fans and analysts dreaming of the matchup. Jones, who became the youngest UFC champion at 23 and has since cemented himself as one of the sport’s legends, recently moved up to heavyweight and won the title by defeating Ciryl Gane in March 2023. However, despite Jones’ undeniable skill and dominance in the octagon, his career has been marred by controversies outside of it, including failed drug tests and legal issues. Additionally, ‘Bones’ waited for Ngannou to leave the company before moving to heavyweight.

Since walking away from the UFC, Ngannou has ventured into boxing, where he faced Tyson Fury in a competitive bout, and Anthony Joshua in a blockbuster fight, plus signed with the PFL, where he recently claimed their inaugural Super Fights Heavyweight Championship.

Francis Ngannou PFL
Francis Ngannou

While the fight may still be one of MMA’s biggest “what if” scenarios, Francis Ngannou is moving forward. With new challenges in boxing and the PFL, the former UFC champion is focused on what lies ahead, leaving the Jon Jones hype in the past. Saudi Arabia, involved in boxing, the PFL, and the UFC, might be planning for this fight. The PFL is willing, but it is unlikely the UFC will budge on this.

Fans Cry Foul as Kayla Harrison Edges Out Dakota Ditcheva for 2024 ESPN Honor

Fans Cry Foul as Kayla Harrison Edges Out Dakota Ditcheva for 2024 ESPN HonorDakota Ditcheva or Kayla Harrison? Kayla Harrison has been named ESPN’s Female Fighter of the Year for 2024. While…

Fans Cry Foul as Kayla Harrison Edges Out Dakota Ditcheva for 2024 ESPN Honor

Dakota Ditcheva or Kayla Harrison? Kayla Harrison has been named ESPN’s Female Fighter of the Year for 2024. While Harrison’s accomplishments are impressive, the decision has sparked a debate among fans, with many arguing that Dakota Ditcheva had a stronger case for the award.

Kayla Harrison Or Dakota Ditcheva

Kayla Harrison is a former Olympic judo gold medalist who had an incredible run in the PFL and later transitioned to the UFC. Her debut came at UFC 300 in April, where she submitted former bantamweight champion Holly Holm in the second round. This victory immediately placed her among the top contenders in the 135-pound division. Harrison solidified her position in October at UFC 307, defeating Ketlen Vieira by unanimous decision. The two wins improved her professional record to 18-1.

However, fans have pointed to Dakota Ditcheva’s perfect year as a strong counterargument to Harrison’s selection. Competing in the PFL, Ditcheva delivered four dominant performances, with her becoming the youngest champion in PFL history.

She kicked off the year with back-to-back TKO victories over Lisa Mauldin and Chelsea Hackett, then secured a semifinal win against Jena Bishop in August also via knockout.

In November, Ditcheva claimed the PFL Women’s Flyweight Tournament title and a $1 million prize by defeating former UFC title challenger Taila Santos via TKO. The 25-year-old British fighter ended 2024 with a flawless 14-0 record, earning her recognition as the first British female MMA world champion. Additionally, she was the first fighter ever to stop Santos.

Kayla Harrison Or Dakota Ditcheva

Critics of ESPN’s decision argue that Ditcheva’s historic achievements and unbeaten record should have tipped the scales in her favor. While Harrison’s UFC debut and victories were significant, some fans believe they fell short of Ditcheva’s remarkable run through the PFL tournament. Harrison defeated an over-the-hill Holm and narrowly edged Viera while Ditcheva dominated the field and made history.

Fans Balk at Harrison over Ditcheva

Here are various comments by fans:

“I love Kayla but Dakota Ditcheva would like to have a word…”

“Dakota Ditcheva is 4-0 in 2024 under the PFL banner with 4 knockouts. She’s you’re real 2024 WMMA Fighter of the Year winner.”

“Dakota Ditcheva should have won this. 4-0 over the year, all KO wins with no girl making it out of the 2nd round.”

“Dakota ditcheva should’ve won she went 4-0 in 2024 all by tko”

UFC Next for Dakota Ditcheva? PFL Champion Explains Reason for Potential Move

UFC Next for Dakota Ditcheva? PFL Champion Explains Reason for Potential MoveDakota Ditcheva is already looking at a future beyond the limitations of the PFL. After winning the PFL Europe…

UFC Next for Dakota Ditcheva? PFL Champion Explains Reason for Potential Move

Dakota Ditcheva is already looking at a future beyond the limitations of the PFL.

After winning the PFL Europe flyweight tournament in 2023, ‘Dangerous’ ran the table during this year’s regular season tournament and playoffs, becoming the promotion’s first-ever global PFL flyweight world champion.

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Even more impressive was the fact that she practically ran through former UFC title challenger Taila Santos to win her first $1 million paycheck. Santos previously went toe-to-toe with bantamweight queen Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 275 and in the eyes of many, did enough to dethrone ‘Bullet’ that night.

KO’ing Santos in the second round of their flyweight final, Ditcheva proved that she’s more than just a pretty face backed by the PFL hype machine. She’s a legitimate threat to any woman in any promotion, and after logging another year inside the Smart Cage, she hopes to test herself on a much bigger stage.

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“I’m definitely with PFL because I’m in contract for at least another year anyway, so I’ve definitely not finished with them yet,” Ditcheva told talkSPORT. “I’ve got lots of things in the pipeline that we could possibly do. But I think, competition-wise, everyone kind of thinks you need to go to the UFC because they do see me as the top girl in PFL, especially now that I’ve beat Santos. You know, she—everyone thought she beat UFC world champion Valentina [Shevchenko].

“So everyone’s kind of a little bit like, before that fight, it was like, ‘How good is Dakota really? She hasn’t fought anyone,’ type thing. And then when I beat her, now it’s like, ‘Oh, who are you going to fight next?’”

What’s next for the undefeated dakota ditcheva?

Ditcheva is a perfect 14-0 in her mixed martial arts career with an incredible 93% finish rate, including 12 knockouts and one win via submission.

It remains to be seen if ‘Dangerous’ will compete in the 2025 PFL tournament or if the promotion will keep her out of the tournament in favor of a potential superfight.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of options for big-money fights under the PFL banner which is why she’s already plotting to follow in the footsteps of two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison and leave the promotion in search of greener pastures and greater challenges.

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Jake Paul Claims Nate Diaz is “Scared” to Fight Him in MMA; Diaz Fires Back at Accusations

Jake Paul Claims Nate Diaz is "Scared" to Fight Him in MMA; Diaz Fires BackTensions continue to escalate between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz as the two combat sports stars exchange heated words…

Jake Paul Claims Nate Diaz is "Scared" to Fight Him in MMA; Diaz Fires Back

Tensions continue to escalate between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz as the two combat sports stars exchange heated words over a potential MMA bout. Jake Paul, the social media sensation turned boxer, recently claimed that Diaz is avoiding a rematch under MMA rules despite the lucrative opportunity it presents.

Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz

“It’s funny that Nate Diaz is actually scared to fight me in MMA,” he said. “The biggest payday of his life would be me and him in MMA. I’m ready.”

Diaz, known for his no-nonsense attitude and storied MMA career, did not take kindly to Paul’s comments. The Stockton native responded on social media with a fiery retort: “Sign the contract Scary and not in 12 months from now and in a shitty organization Scary.”

The feud reignited after their first meeting on August 5, 2023, when Paul defeated Diaz in a boxing match via unanimous decision. The 10-round bout marked Diaz’s professional boxing debut, while Paul improved his record to 7-1. The event drew significant attention, generating 450,000 pay-per-view buys and over $30 million in total revenue.

Following the fight, Paul proposed an MMA rematch, a format where Diaz, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and veteran of the sport, would seemingly have the advantage. However, negotiations have yet to materialize into a signed contract, leading to public speculation and verbal jabs between the two.

Nate Diaz is a former UFC standout with 15 years in the organization, built his reputation on his grappling expertise and resilience in the octagon. His career highlights include defeating Conor McGregor in 2016 and competing for the “BMF” title against Jorge Masvidal in 2019.

‘The Problem Chi’d Jake Paul, on the other hand, has carved his niche by defeating former MMA champions in boxing. He has consistently used his platform to challenge traditional combat sports boundaries, including calling out seasoned fighters like Diaz.

Jake Paul Claims Nate Diaz is Scared to Fight Him in MMA Diaz Fires Back 1

As both fighters continue to exchange barbs, fans are left wondering whether this war of words will translate into action inside the cage. A rematch in MMA could potentially break new ground for crossover combat sports events, adding another chapter to the rivalry between Paul and Diaz.

Fanmio issue statement after Nate Diaz files lawsuit the truth with triumph

For now, the ball appears to be in the court of promoters and managers, as both fighters push for terms that fit their respective goals. One thing is certain: the tension between Jake Paul and Nate Diaz isn’t cooling down anytime soon.

Champion Johnny Eblen Calls Out Jake Paul for MMA Fight Under Modified Rules

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake PaulJohnny Eblen, Bellator’s undefeated Middleweight Champion, is targeting none other than Jake Paul. In a bold statement on social…

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake Paul

Johnny Eblen, Bellator’s undefeated Middleweight Champion, is targeting none other than Jake Paul. In a bold statement on social media, Eblen directly challenged ‘The Problem Child’ Paul, the popular social media star and boxer.

Johnny Eblen vs. Jake Paul

In a comment directed at Jake Paul, Johnny Eblen said:

“@jakepaul fight me in MMA with modified rules. We both signed to the @pflmma, why not. Let’s run it.”

johnny eblen vs Jake Paul

The challenge carries weight, as both athletes are currently under contract with the PFL. While Eblen’s MMA credentials are unquestionable, boasting a perfect 16-0 record and a dominant wrestling background, Paul has primarily made waves in boxing. However, Paul’s involvement with PFL suggests he’s open to competing in mixed martial arts.

Johnny Eblen has cemented his status as one of the world’s top middleweights, thanks to his dominant title reign in Bellator. Known for his aggressive and technical style, he has successfully defended his title multiple times since capturing it in 2022.

Jake Paul, 27, has carved a unique path in combat sports. After achieving fame as a social media influencer, he transitioned to professional boxing, amassing an 11-1 record. His fights often spark controversy but draw massive attention, with his latest victory over Mike Tyson in November 2024 generating the largest boxing gate in U.S. history outside Las Vegas.

A potential Eblen-Paul fight would bring together two figures in MMA and boxing. While Eblen has proven himself in the cage, Paul’s willingness to explore MMA, especially under modified rules, could bring even more intrigue to the matchup.

Whether this challenge materializes into an actual bout remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Johnny Eblen isn’t afraid to mix it up. Now, the ball is in Jake Paul’s court.