The Professional Fighters League will kick off its 2026 PFL MENA season on Sunday, May 24, when PFL MENA: Pride of Arabia takes place at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The event serves as the season opener for the regional tournament and features athletes from 11 nations across the Middle East and North Africa.
Headlining the card, UAE veteran Mohammad “The UAE Warrior” Yahya makes his PFL debut against Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi in a featherweight quarterfinal.
Yahya, 12-6, returns to compete on home soil as one of the region’s most recognizable fighters. Saadi, 6-2, enters with momentum and an opportunity to score the biggest win of his career.
The co-main event features an undefeated lightweight clash as Morocco’s Salah “Supersalah” Eddine Hamli meets Algeria’s Ylies “Broly” Djiroun in another quarterfinal matchup.
Hamli enters at 11-0 after a dominant run last season that established him as one of the promotion’s top lightweights. Djiroun, a veteran of 33 professional bouts, brings experience and durability to the matchup.
Also scheduled is the highly anticipated debut of 18-year-old Emirati prospect Zamzam Al Hammadi, who will compete in an amateur strawweight showcase bout. Al Hammadi signed with PFL MENA last year and owns titles in both MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
“Dubai is a key market for PFL MENA and a global hub for sport and entertainment, making it the ideal stage for our 2026 season opener,” said PFL MENA general manager Jerome Mazet.
Additional tournament bouts include Hamza Kooheji vs. Taha Bendaoud at featherweight, Mohammad Fahmi vs. Assem Ghanem, Ahmed El Sisy vs. Harda Karim, and Georges Eid vs. Hussein Fakher at lightweight.
With tournament stakes, regional stars, and homegrown talent on display, PFL MENA’s return to Dubai is set to launch the 2026 season in style.