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Exclusive | Omar El Dafrawy On Driving MMA’s Growth in Egypt: “More and more Egyptians making waves.”

PFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the…

PFL MENA athlete Omar El Dafrawy has been making an impact in the nation of Egypt in growing the sport of MMA at the core level. On Friday, September 19, he will be competing in the Semi-finals of the PFL MENA welterweight tournament.

Omar El Dafrawy on Egyptian MMA

Whether it’s Judo, Boxing, Wrestling, Taekwondo, or Karate, the nation of Egypt has a rich history in combat sports and has collected dozens of Olympic medals. MMA is a natural step for the people of the nation but it still needs a push. Omar El Dafrawy and his gym Fitbox are looking to make an impact.

In an exclusive interview with Tim Wheaton of LowKickMMA, El Dafrawy explained:

“A lot of people are transitioning, but we need more high-profile coaches to guide them through that. We have strong bases in boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, and judo, with Olympians and gold medalists. When the right people who genuinely care about the sport get involved, things will continue to change. I’ve seen it happening, especially as I’ve traveled and invested in myself as an athlete … We’re seeing more and more Egyptians making waves.”

Combat sports is booming in Egypt, and MMA is right at the forefront, he added:

“There are a lot of high benchmarks being set. I think I’ve restructured the sport back home. My background is academic, and people saw that the sport is for everyone, not just those with tough upbringings. They saw that you can be educated—I have a bachelor’s degree—and still be a full-time fighter. There’s a huge gap in the market for education on training and preparation, but that’s what I’m trying to deliver through Fitbox. As for numbers, MMA is booming. There are at least 20 promotions back home, with more popping up. For example, the national kickboxing tournament has 800 fights over two days, just with kids.”

PFL MENA 3

Upcoming at PFL MENA 3, on September 20, El Dafrawy is looking to build on his impressive win streak and advance to the PFL MENA finals later this year. But standing in his way is the experienced Jarrah Hussein Al-Silawi. On this matchup, the Egyptian MMA athlete explained:

“I’ve studied my opponent, and I feel confident that I can knock out Jarrah.”

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Jake Paul

YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul will soon be competing in MMA in the PFL but still has yet to have an opponent picked. Omar El Dafrawy is throwing his name in the mix whether it be under boxing or MMA rules. Omar El Dafrawy said:

“I want to punch him in the boxing ring first! But seriously, I like what he’s been doing. He’s calling out the people who don’t treat fighters well, like Dana White. That’s why I chose PFL. It’s about building myself and having financial security. PFL gives fighters the freedom to box if they want and respects the fighters. That’s what the sport needs—promotions that understand fighters.”

See the full interview with Omar El Dafrawy below:

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Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19. 185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend. Unfortunately, the bout fell off […]

Continue Reading Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants at MMA News.

A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19.

185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend.

Unfortunately, the bout fell off the card with no reason being given, meaning that the latest instalment of the Bellator Champions Series went down without a title fight headliner.

The two men previously met back at Bellator 299 in September last year where Eblen retained the gold via a third round stoppage in Dublin, Ireland.

A win over Aaron Jeffery put Edwards back in the title picture for another chance to bring the Bellator belt back to Birmingham, England.

Eblen, on the other hand, remained undefeated in a tough fight with Impa Kasanganay earlier this year at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February.

As per the official press release, the fight will now take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on the same night as Francis Ngannou’s long awaited return to MMA.

He takes on PFL’s 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco serving as the co-main event for the debut of the PFL’s PPV Super Fights division.

Also announced for the card is Bellator star A.J. McKee, who takes on one of the PFL’s most exciting additions in recent times, Irish prospect Paul Hughes who will be facing his toughest test to date.

Continue Reading Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants at MMA News.

Senior Vice President Loren Mack Helping the PFL Shape the Future of MMA

Over the past five years, the PFL has rapidly expanded, solidifying its position as a global mixed martial arts…

Over the past five years, the PFL has rapidly expanded, solidifying its position as a global mixed martial arts powerhouse.

While much of the PFL’s growth can be credited to its unique season-based format and a strong roster featuring top combat sports athletes, another key driver of its success lies with the individuals working behind the scenes and in the front office, whose contributions have been instrumental in the league’s rise.

Loren Mack

One of those individuals is Senior Vice President Loren Mack, who joined the company in 2020. A long-time executive in sports and entertainment. Mack’s relentless drive has played a major role in the organization’s rise and has helped push the PFL to the top of the competitive world.

Mack has long been part of the MMA industry, having worked in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the early years of the promotion’s time under ZUFFA. During his stint with the UFC, Mack saw the company take off in popularity following the now-legendary first season of The Ultimate Fighter. From there, he witnessed the company’s sustained growth, gaining an understanding of what it takes for an MMA promotion to become successful.

As he did with the UFC, Mack helped Cayman Island-based promotion ONE Championship into an impressive “golden era” and become the backbone of MMA in Asia. The past few years have been quite difficult for ONE Championship, however, as the promotion has lost a number of its marquee names and most popular champions. The promotion’s distribution is also quite tiny, and a number of their top talents have also been released due to a lack of opportunities to fight.

On top of this, ONE also had to deal with setbacks leading to layoffs in the organization’s offices.

Mack, who had left ONE Championship, saw that he had a real opportunity to make an impact with the PFL following an unexpected hour-long conversation with entrepreneur and business savant Donn Davis, founder and chairman of the league. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since coming on board, Mack has been a crucial part of some of the PFL’s most significant expansions, including breaking into markets in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, and Asia. During this time, the PFL has also brought in some of the most high-profile names in combat sports.

“We’ve brought in stars like Jake Paul, Francis Ngannou, Aspen Ladd, Shane Burgos, Amanda Serrano, Savannah Marshall, and we even re-signed Claressa Shields,” Mack said. “Those are some of the absolute biggest names in the combat sports world, and all of them will be competing inside the PFL SmartCage.”

More recently, the PFL has also made even more groundbreaking moves including the landmark purchase of Bellator MMA, securing a long-term broadcast partnership with ESPN, and expanding its global reach to over 160 countries globally — including recent deals in Japan and South America.

Mack’s strategic approach has helped the PFL become a global MMA powerhouse and a legitimate destination for fighters who aspire to showcase their talents on the global stage.

“Finally, the sport of MMA has two world-class promotions in the PFL and the UFC. Having two global platforms that elevate the sport benefits not just the fans, but the fighters as well,” Mack stated. “As we continue to grow, innovate, and reimagine MMA, we have placed emphasis on engaging fans all year long through impactful storytelling and unprecedented access to the sport, our fighters, and the action inside the cage”

Mack, alongside Davis and CEO Peter Murray, has helped steer the PFL to greater heights, as the league has distinguished itself from other MMA promotions through its innovative season-based format. Similar to other sports leagues that feature a regular season, playoffs, and championships. At the end of the global season, champions are crowned and awarded million-dollar purses.

“When you have some of the best fighters in the world competing for the biggest prize in MMA. there will always be opportunity for content, and that has been a huge factor in the growth of the PFL — not just as a brand, but as an organization as well,” Mack explained. With Mack and the PFL leadership team focused on expanding globally, the league is well-positioned to become a true competitor to the UFC.

Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’

In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight. Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of […]

Continue Reading Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’ at MMA News.

In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight.

Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of the condition, he could’ve continued fighting.

Instead, the former UFC welterweight title challenger had already began his career as a commentator and analyst, which would eventually lead him to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

As a key figure in the promotion as both a color commentator and the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe, Hardy is playing a pivotal role in helping to structure the promotion.

“The Outlaw” spoke in a recent interview with Sky Sports about wanting to bring in a “masters division” for older fighters who want to continue competing. Instead of fighting the next wave of upcoming contenders, they’d be facing opponents who are ay similar stage of their careers.

In fact, Hardy himself would be open to the idea of competing in that bracket.

Dan Hardy Teases Potentially Competing In ‘Masters Division’ In The PFL

Hardy has wanted to make a combat sports return for many years now, but in every instance, the fights or plans have fallen through for various reasons.

However, competing under the PFL banner against fellow legends and veterans of the sport would appear to be the most realistic and suitable option for an MMA comeback.

When asked whether he would put himself forward for a masters division, Hardy said that he has recently tried to speak to the PFL about having him step back inside the cage.

“Hey, why not? Yeah, why not. I actually said to the PFL the other day, we were coming out of an event and I said, ‘Look, like, I’ll dust off and come back for another 12 months,’ and I gave them three or four names. I’d be like, ‘Look, this is a good little selection of names.’”

When asked if he was being serious, he doubled down on the idea of competing once again to cap off his 36-fight pro career.

“Yeah, I’ll always fight. I’ll always fight, I love fighting, I love the adrenaline rush of it. I love the ‘do or die’ feeling of a fight, it’s the singlemindedness. You’re getting in there, you’re throwing techniques and you know, you’re hoping that your game plan is going to be the one that is victorious. I’m a little bit older now, absolutely, but of course, if we’ve got a masters division and I’ve got a few good ideas in mind…”

Sky Sports’ Nik Hobbs questioned whether Hardy would be willing to reveal any of the names that he put forward to the PFL. After some hesitation, he named former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as a potential opponent.

“Not right now, no. But, well, I will say Anthony Pettis has always been someone I’ve had a lot of respect for and his name has been thrown around a few times regarding a future opponent for me. So maybe that’s an option, but we’ll see.”

Read More: Former Bellator Champion With 27-1 Record Enters Free Agency: ‘See You In The Octagon’

Continue Reading Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’ at MMA News.

Bellator Champions Series: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alexandr Shabliy Results & Highlights (5 PM ET)

The fourth Bellator Champions Series event goes down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promoti…

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alexandr Shabliy Results & Highlights (5 PM ET) at MMA News.

Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy

The fourth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action! After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promoti…

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy at MMA News.