[ad_1]
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA — Professional Fighters League, in partnership with the Ministry of Sport and the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF) held Championships of the 2024 PFL Global Season and the first-ever PFL MENA Season on Friday at King Saud University. Following an exciting night of action on ESPN+ and DAZN, ten new champions were crowned.
In the main event, Timur Khizriev (18-0) coasted to a unanimous decision win against 2023 PFL Featherweight Champion Brendan Loughnane (30-6). It was ultimately Khizriev’s world-class grappling and pace that was the difference, as Khizriev became the fourth Russian PFL athlete to win a Championship in 2024.
The co-main event saw Dakota Ditcheva (14-0), a former PFL Europe Champion, finish former UFC title challenger Talia Santos (22-4) and lay claim to the 2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Championship. It was a perfect season for the 26-year-old, who finished all four of her opponents en route to the title.
The pride of Turkmenistan Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (25-7-1), shocked the 2023 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Impa Kasanganay (18-5) in 58-seconds to claim the 2024 Championship. A victor in his first PFL season, Yagshimuradov brings the first major global MMA title to his home nation of Turkmenistan.
In a battle of unbeaten Russian Welterweights, Shamil Musaev (20-0-1) handed Magomed Umalatov (17-1) the first defeat of his career, following a flurry of strikes that ended that bout nearly two minutes into the second round. With arguably the most impressive run in the 2024 Global Season, “The Silent Assassin” now has championship gold and a one-million-dollar check to prove it.
Gadzhi Rabadanov (24-4-2) is the 2024 PFL Lightweight World Champion following a vicious third round knockout of former Bellator Champion Brent Primus (15-4). Training alongside Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov, and under the tutelage of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rabadanov now brings another 155-pound championship home to Russia.
After multiple unsuccessful attempts at winning the PFL Championship, sambo champion Denis Goltsov (36-8) finally captured PFL gold as he completed the Global Season as champion, finishing fellow Russian Oleg Popov (29-2) via submission in the opening round.
Prior to the 2024 PFL World Championships, PFL MENA’s inaugural season came to a close, with four champions crowned in the Welterweight, Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight divisions.
Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al-Qahtani (10-2) emphatically finished Morocco’s Marouane Bellagouit (6-1) in the opening frame to earn the PFL MENA Featherweight Championship. The 26-year-old won the championship in front of a partisan home town crowd.
At Welterweight, Omar El Dafrawy (13-6) shocked those in attendance when he clipped Mohammad Alaqraa (7-1) with a left hook and immediately capitalized on the opportunity with hammerfists, earning the PFL MENA Welterweight title in the process.
Local superstar Hattan Alsaif (3-0) showed once again why the hype is real, as a powerful knee in the clinch caused Lilia Osmani (0-1) to drop to her knees and the referee to put a stop to the bout. The fighters showed a dangerous variety of strikes, but Alsaif’s power proved to be the difference who improved her amateur record to 3-0.
The 2024 PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship was wrapped around the waist of Ali Taleb (12-1) after catching a stray kick from Rachid El Hazoume (15-4), who unleashed a ferocious right hook to separate his opponent from consciousness.
The first ever PFL MENA World Champion was crowned in the Lightweight division, as Mohsen Mohammadseifi (7-2) picked up the unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46) following a fiery encounter with Georges Eid (10-5), forever etching his name in the history books as he impressed the judges with his power, aggression, and huge hooks to secure their favor.
Mansour Barnaoui (22-6) picked up the 15th submission victory of his career in a technical stand-up bout with England’s Alfie Davis (17-5-1), who damaged his opponent with piercing knees and strong elbows in the clinch, before the fight went to the ground and ended via rear-naked choke.
The Heavyweights miraculously found the final bell after three rounds of trading heavy shots, with Slim Trabelsi (8-0) winning by split-decision (29-28 x2, 28-29). Recovering from a big knockdown in round two, Trabelsi bounced back to grind out the win against Abraham Bably (5-1).
The card’s first decision victory went to Brazil’s Gabriel Braga (15-2), who relished in the legalization of elbows by opening up Jeremy Kennedy (19-5) on the feet in the first round before the remainder of the fight was hotly contested in both striking and grappling in a competitive bout.
In a true back-and-forth battle, the lightning strikes of Asael Adjoudj (9-1) were slowed by the grinding pressure and ground control from Jose Perez (9-2). However, in the third round, Adjoudj shocked his opponent with a guillotine and became the first fighter to submit Perez and extended his unbeaten streak to nine.
The first fight of the evening opened the card in stunning fashion, as Costello van Steenis (16-3) finished Joao Dantas (7-2) in the very first round using a series of calf kicks to set up a devastating head kick.
2024 PFL Championship Global Season Results:
Timur Khizriev (18-0) def. Brendan Loughnane (30-6) via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46 x2)Dakota Ditcheva (14-0) def. Talia Santos (22-4) via TKO at 4:41 of round twoDovletzhan Yagshimuradov (25-7-1) def. Impa Kasanganay (18-5) via KO at :58 of round oneShamil Musaev (20-0-1) def. Magomed Umalatov (17-1) via KO at 1:44 of round threeGadzhi Rabadanov (24-4-2) def. Brent Primus (15-4) via KO at 2:31 of round threeDenis Goltsov (36-8) def. Oleg Popov (19-2) via submission [triangle choke] at 2:55 of round one
PFL MENA Championship Results:
Abdullah Al-Qahtani (10-2) def. Marouane Bellagouit (6-1) via TKO at 3:21 of round oneOmar El Dafrawy (13-6) def. Mohammad Alaqraa (7-1) via TKO at :57 of round twoHattan Alsaif (3-0) def. Lilia Osmani (0-1) via KO at 1:37 of round twoAli Taleb (12-1) def. Rachid El Hazoume (15-4) via KO at 1:25 of round oneMohsen Mohammadseifi (7-2) def. Georges Eid (10-5) via unanimous decision (50-45 x2, 49-46)
PFL Showcase Bouts Results:
Mansour Barnaoui (22-6) def. Alfie Davis (17-5-1) via submission [rear-naked choke] at 3:41 of round threeSlim Trabelsi (8-0) def. Abraham Bably (5-1) via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)Gabriel Braga (15-2) def. Jeremy Kennedy (19-5) via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)Asael Adjoudj (9-1) def. Jose Perez (9-2) via submission [guillotine choke] at 1:10 of round threeCostello van Steenis (16-3) def. Joao Dantas (7-2) via KO at :48 of round one
Continue Reading
[ad_2]
Source link
