Professional Fighters League will hold a championship twin bill of sorts in Saudia Arabia next month.
The promotion announced on Saturday that both the PFL Championships and the PFL MENA finals will take place on Nov. 29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The evening’s main card will feature title bouts in six PFL weight classes, topped by a featherweight championship clash between Brendan Loughnane and Timur Khizriev.
Meanwhile, the undercard will feature PFL MENA title bouts at welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and bantamweight. All told, the PFL World Championships event will showcase 10 five-round bouts.
“The Championships are the culmination of our sports-season format, where PFL athletes have beaten the odds to reach this point in the toughest test in all of sports,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a release. “There are multiple athletes competing who I am excited to see take that next step in their careers, while there are also returning champions who I’m curious to see if they can reach the pinnacle again. That’s what makes this so great.”
This will be the first time that the PFL Championships will also include finals from one of its regional organizations. According to a release, Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the event “marks a significant milestone in (the country’s) continued commitment to growing the sport of MMA.”
“Participation in MMA across Saudi Arabia has grown by more than 20% over the past year, with world-class events such as this a huge driver in increasing interest among our nation’s youthful population,” Abdullah Al Hazza, CEO of the Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation said. “Hosting the Championships for the 2024 PFL Global Season strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position on the world MMA map, with the exposure and experience gained for our athletes invaluable in their development. This includes showcasing MMA to women, and the return of Hattan Alsaif – the first ever Saudi woman to sign with a major global MMA promotion – to the November card is a welcome moment for our country’s combat sports community.”
The PFL Championships will air on ESPN+ in the United States beginning with the main card at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT, while prelims stream at noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT.
