The PFL MENA season wrapped up on Friday, December 5, and we have all the results and highlights from the action here at MMA News!
PFL MENA was set up last year as part of the promotion’s expansion efforts, and alongside the already-established PFL Europe and PFL Africa, and the soon-to-debut PFL Pacific, PFL MENA has ventured on into its second season.
The card took place at the Dhahran Expo in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, and featured the finals in all four weight classes PFL MENA has tournaments in — welterweight, lightweight, featherweight, and bantamweight.
The main event saw Mohammad Alaqraa, who fell short in last year’s PFL MENA welterweight final, capture this year’s tournament title by defeating Badreddine Diani. The fight was primarily a kickboxing battle to start, with Alaqraa bringing more of the forward pressure and landing the cleaner power shots in the first 10 minutes. The third round was more competitive and saw brief grappling exchanges, but Alaqraa solidified his momentum with top positioning and short strikes throughout the fourth round. Diani pushed his own grappling in the final round, looking for takedowns and back control, but Alaqraa would take the decision and tournament title.
In the co-main event, Salah Eddine Hamli captured the PFL MENA lightweight tournament title with a submission win over Mohammad Fahmi. Fahmi opened the fight aggressively, but Hamli steadily answered with low kicks and sharp counters. After Hamli stunned Fahmi in the first, Fahmi appeared to be tiring out in the second round through multiple takedown attempts. Hamli controlled the action, landing the more effective strikes. After one more takedown attempt from Fahmi, Hamli locked up a D’Arce choke to score the second-round submission and PFL MENA tournament title.
Islam Reda captured the tournament title at featherweight, defeating Yanis Ghemmouri. Though neither man took clear control in the first round, with both having their moments, Ghemmouri scored a takedown in round two and looked to do damage. But Reda used headlocks and chokes threats to counteract, resulting in a grinding battle between the two. Reda would lock up a D’Arce choke on the ground in the final minute of round two to claim the title.
The title fights opened with Nawras Abzakh winning the 2025 PFL MENA bantamweight title in mere seconds. After a level change attempt by opponent Islam Youssef to counter Abzakh’s forward pressure, Abzakh locked him up in a guillotine. A slam was attempted by Youssef but was unsuccessful in freeing him, leading to a 36-second submission for Abzakh.
The event was broadcast on DAZN in most countries, as well as on the PFL App in the U.S and on Vice TV. If you couldn’t watch any of the action, MMA News has you covered with the full results and all the highlights below.
2025 PFL MENA Championships Results & Highlights
- Welterweight Tournament Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa def. Badreddine Diani via unanimous decision (49–46, 48–47, 48–47)
- Lightweight Tournament Championship: Salah Eddine Hamli def. Mohammad Fahmi via submission (brabo choke) (R2, 4:05)
- Featherweight Tournament Championship: Islam Reda def. Yanis Ghemmouri via submission (anaconda choke) (R2, 4:46)
- Bantamweight Tournament Championship: Nawras Abzakh def. Islam Youssef via submission (guillotine choke) (R1, 0:36)
- Flyweight: Malik Basahel def. Mahmoud Atef via TKO (R1, 3:13)
- Lightweight: Ahmed El Sisy def. Abbas Khan via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 30–27
- Welterweight (Amateur Bout): Ahmed Albrahim def. Mohamed Nabil via TKO (punches) (R2, 2:45)
- Flyweight: Hamad Marhoon def. Oualid Gounaine via submission (guillotine choke) (R1, 1:39)
Hamad Marhoon vs. Oualid Gounaine
Ahmed Albrahim vs. Mohamed Nabil
Abbas Khan vs. Ahmed El Sisy
Malik Basahel vs. Mahmoud Atef
Nawras Abzakh vs. Islam Youssef
https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1996976420132622810?s=20
Islam Reda vs. Yanis Ghemmouri
https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1996985413953523873?s=20
Salah Eddine Hali vs. Mohammad Fahmi
https://twitter.com/PFLMMA/status/1996992629612167302?s=20
