Fighter from Kuwait advances to the Semi-finals in the Professional Fighters League competition
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) MENA held an electrifying MMA event at The Green Halls in Riyadh, marking a significant step towards the semifinal stage of the tournament. As fighters close in on championship glory, the competition promises more action and elite competition.
In the Welterweight division, Omar El Dafrawy (14-5) secured his place in the semifinals and ultimately became the champion, following a first-round triangle choke submission over Daniele Miceli (13-7, 1 NC) in a thrilling match. El Dafrawy's victory marked him as the 2024 PFL MENA Welterweight Champion.
Meanwhile, the Bantamweight division saw several exciting matches, with the semifinal lineup yet to be fully determined. Late replacement Islam Youssef (6-2) knocked out Benyamin Ghahreman (3-1) with a flying knee KO in Round 2, advancing to face Xavier Alaoui (16-6) in the semifinals. Nawras Abzakh (13-6) also secured his spot in the semifinals with a second-round KO over Ali Yazbeck (5-1-1), setting up a match against Benkaci (25-9, 2 NC).
Mokhtar Benkaci advanced with a TKO victory over Marcel Adur (19-8-1) in the first round, while Xavier Alaoui won his match against Ziad Ayman (6-2) by outpointing him in all three rounds. However, the specific names of the other Bantamweight semifinalists are yet to be confirmed.
The Welterweight semifinals will feature a rematch between Amir Fazli (7-3) and Badreddine Diani (9-3), following Fazli's second-round knockout over Rostem Akman (7-4) and Diani's 29-28 unanimous decision over Ahmed Abdelbast Darwish (4-1). Mohamed Zarey (10-1) also advanced with a unanimous decision over Ayman Galal (4-2, 1 NC).
The 2024 PFL MENA event also saw Abdelrahman Alhyasat (6-0) make his lightweight debut with a submission victory over Anthony Zeidan (5-3), keeping his undefeated streak intact. Hattan Alsaif (4-0 AM) also won a second-round TKO over Nour Al Fliti (1-2 AM) in an exciting match.
As the tournament heads towards its semifinal stage, fans eagerly anticipate the action and elite competition that lie ahead. The specific lineup for the 2024 PFL MENA Bantamweight semifinals is yet to be confirmed, but the Welterweight semifinals are set, with Omar El Dafrawy securing his place as the champion.
For the broader 2025 PFL World Tournament (not limited to the MENA region), the Welterweight semifinals include Logan Storley vs. Masayuki Kikuiri and Jason Jackson vs. Thad Jean, but these are separate from the 2024 PFL MENA Tournament.
[1] Source: PFL Official Website [2] Source: MMA Fighting
Sports enthusiasts can look forward to the upcoming semifinals in both the Welterweight and Bantamweight divisions of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) MENA tournament. In the Welterweight division, Omar El Dafrawy has already secured his spot as the champion, while the Bantamweight semifinal lineup is yet to be fully determined. Meanwhile, the wider 2025 PFL World Tournament includes separate Welterweight semifinals featuring Logan Storley and Masayuki Kikuiri, as well as Jason Jackson and Thad Jean.
