The 2026 season of PFL MENA officially got underway at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, delivering an entertaining night of tournament matchups, showcase bouts, and breakout performances from some of the Middle East and North Africa’s top mixed martial arts talent.
In the featherweight tournament main event, Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi spoiled the homecoming of UAE favorite Mohammad Yahya with a razor-close split decision victory. Saadi established his offense early with punishing calf kicks that forced Yahya to constantly adjust his stance throughout the bout. Yahya rallied with sharp boxing combinations and appeared to take momentum in the third round, but Saadi’s consistent striking output proved enough to secure the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
The co-main event featured one of the night’s biggest statements as Algeria’s Ylies Djiroun overwhelmed previously unbeaten Moroccan standout Salah Eddine Hamli in the opening round of their lightweight tournament quarterfinal. Djiroun unleashed relentless combinations to the head and body before earning a first-round TKO finish, instantly establishing himself as a dangerous contender in the bracket.
Bahrain’s Hamza Kooheji advanced in the featherweight tournament with a composed decision victory over Taha Bendaoud. Kooheji controlled the tempo throughout the contest and showcased a well-rounded attack to secure his place in the next stage of the tournament.
One of the most anticipated moments of the evening came when rising Emirati prospect Zamzam Al Hammadi made her PFL MENA debut. The young talent delivered under pressure, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Abeer Mansour in an amateur showcase bout and further cementing herself as one of the UAE’s brightest prospects.
The lightweight tournament bracket also saw impressive performances from Basel Shalaan and Ahmed El Sisy, who both picked up decision victories to advance to the semifinals alongside Djiroun and Mohammad Fahmi, who moved forward after opponent Assem Ghanem withdrew due to injury.
Elsewhere on the card, Jordan’s Saher Qasmieh edged Hamad Marhoon in a closely contested flyweight showcase, while Ahmed Albrahim scored the first stoppage victory of his professional career with a ground-and-pound TKO against Ibrahim Mahmoud. Opening the event, Butti Suwaid Alameri earned a dominant amateur decision victory over Hamada Osman.
With dramatic tournament action, regional rivalries, and emerging stars making statements, PFL MENA once again showcased the depth of talent growing across the Middle East and North Africa.
Ylies Djiroun def. Salah Eddine Hamli by TKO (punches). Roun1, 4:20
Hamza Kooheji def. Taha Bendaoud by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
Zamzam Al Hammadi def. Abeer Mansour by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
Basel Shalaan def. Abdullah Saleem by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Ahmed El Sisy def. Harda Karim by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Saher Qasmieh def. Hamad Marhoon by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Ahmed Albrahim def. Ibrahim Mahmoud by TKO (punches). Round 3, 2:47
Butti Suwaid Alameri def. Hamada Osman by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)