Today's Edition
DUBAI (WAM)
Emirati fighter Zamzam Al Hammadi stole the spotlight at the Pride of Arabia event after securing her first victory inside the Professional Fighters League Middle East and North Africa (PFL MENA) SmartCage, while compatriot Butti Al Ameri opened the night with a strong win for the UAE during the event held at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
The event was held in collaboration with the Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
The 18-year-old Al Hammadi earned a unanimous decision victory over Egypt’s Abeer Mansour in an amateur showcase strawweight bout, following a competitive contest that drew strong crowd reactions during her highly anticipated debut appearance in PFL MENA.
Speaking after the fight, Al Hammadi said: “It was an amazing feeling to compete in front of the fans in Dubai. When I entered the cage and saw the amount of support, I was truly overwhelmed. I look forward to returning to PFL and achieving more victories.”
Earlier in the evening, Emirati fighter Butti Al Ameri delivered a dominant performance against Egypt’s Hamada Othman in an amateur showcase featherweight bout, claiming a unanimous decision victory and underlining his status as one of the UAE’s emerging talents in the competition.
Al Ameri said: “I’m extremely proud to represent the UAE and showcase my skills in front of the fans in Dubai. I really enjoyed this victory and feel that I’m improving every single day.”
The event attracted strong attendance from fans and media alike during the first-ever PFL MENA season opener hosted in Dubai, bringing together some of the region’s top mixed martial arts fighters in an atmosphere that reflected the continued growth of the sport across the Middle East and North Africa.
In the main event, Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi secured a hard-fought split decision victory over the UAE’s Mohammad Yahya after three rounds in the featherweight division, while Algeria’s Ilyas Djiroun recorded a first-round technical knockout win over Morocco’s Salah Eddine Hamli in the lightweight quarterfinals.
Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji also booked his place in the tournament semifinals after defeating Morocco’s Taha Ben Daoud by unanimous decision, while Egypt’s Basel Shaalan and Ahmed El Sisi, alongside Iraq’s Mohammad Fahmi, advanced to the lightweight semifinals following strong performances during the event.
In other bouts, Jordan’s Saher Qasmiya earned a split decision victory over Bahrain’s Hamad Marhoon in a showcase flyweight contest, while Saudi Arabia’s Ahmed Albrahim secured a technical knockout win over Egypt’s Ibrahim Mahmoud in a welterweight bout after a strong performance that ended in the third round.
The evening also witnessed one of the tournament’s biggest upsets as Algeria’s Ilyas Djiroun stopped Morocco’s Salah Eddine Hamli by first-round technical knockout, ending Hamli’s winning streak.
The event further highlighted the organisational and commercial success of the championship through the collaboration between the Professional Fighters League, Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global destination for major sporting and entertainment events while attracting leading combat sports talents from across the region and beyond.
