PFL to Launch Middle East, North Africa Tourney in Saudi Arabia on May 10

Presenting to you your SHOWCASE FIGHTS happening this May 10! 🔥

Showcase Featherweight: 🇪🇬 Mido Mohamed vs Yazeed Hasanain 🇯🇴

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Showcase Flyweight: 🇸🇦 Malik Basahel vs Harsh Pandya 🇮🇳

Female Atomweight: 🇸🇦 Hattan AlSaif vs Nada Faheem 🇪🇬 pic.twitter.com/UD1uv6oU2L

— PFL MENA (@PFLMENA) April 25, 2024

The Professional Fighters League is opening up to a region of the world that could use some developing.

The organization announced the commencement of the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) tournament on Thursday, declaring that the first fight card of its season will kick off on May 10. The show will be held at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and combatants from the bantamweight and featherweight divisions will look to advance to the playoffs with a victory. Broadcast plans for North American audiences have not yet been determined.

Headlining the offering will be a featherweight contest putting local Saudi competitor Abdullah Al-Qahtani (8-1) against Morocco-born, Canada-trained Taha Bendaoud (3-0). Al-Qahtani introduced himself to the promotion as a showcase non-tournament participant in 2023, where he face cranked Lamar Brown in 95 seconds at PFL 6. The Saudi fighter returned two months later to pick up a decision over David Zelner, which earned him a place on the PFL vs. Bellator MMA Champs event in 2024 against Edukondal Rao. “The Reaper” claimed his third victim in the PFL ranks by dispatching Rao with a head kick early into the third frame.

While Al-Qahtani has won three straight under the PFL banner, the 29-year-old Bendaoud has won three fights as a pro overall. The Thai Long Muay Thai competitor made his debut in Idaho against Tryston Hutchinson in late 2022, and he performed a triangle choke to end the night victoriously. Two decision wins over Sthembiso Hadebe and Younes Chemali in UAE Warriors last year catapulted him into this headlining affair.

PFL MENA 1 Lineup:

Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Taha Bendaoud – featherweight
Ali Taleb vs. Nawras Abzakh – bantamweight
Xavier Alaoui vs. Rachid El Hazoume – bantamweight
Islam Reda vs. Adam Meskini – featherweight
Tariq Ismail vs. Jalal Al Daja – bantamweight
Elias Boudegzdame vs. Hassan Mandour – bantamweight
Hattan Alsaif vs. Nada Faheem – amateur atomweight
Maraoune Bellagouit vs. Motaz Askar – featherweight
Ahmed Tarek vs. Abdalrahman Alhyasat – featherweight
Ahmed Raouf vs. Yazeed Hasanain – featherweight
Malik Basahel vs. Harsh Pandya – flyweight