The second season of PFL MENA got off to an incredible start tonight at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with an exciting card that saw fighters in the Featherweight and Lightweight Divisions advance to the 2025 PFL MENA Semifinals.
In the main event, 2024 PFL Lightweight Champion Mohsen Mohammadseifi of Iran put together a well-rounded performance to edge out Egypt’s Ahmed El Sisy by unanimous decision and advance to the Lightweight Semifinals. Mohammadseifi leaned on his striking in the early rounds before shifting gears and showcasing his grappling in the final frame to seal the victory and move one step closer to another PFL MENA title run.
In the co-main event, PFL MENA newcomer Salah Eddine Hamli of Morocco clinched a spot in the Lightweight Semifinals with a slick third-round submission victory over Bahrain’s Abbas Khan. Relying on his superior grappling, Hamli weathered Khan’s striking offense and patiently worked his way to a rear-naked choke midway through the final round to secure the win.
Taha Bendaoud of Morocco needed just over two minutes to put away Boualem Drissi of Algeria by submission and secure his spot in the Featherweight Semifinals. Bendaoud was in complete control from the beginning, and eventually trapped Drissi in a triangle choke, quickly getting the tap and the win.
Malik Basahel of Saudi Arabia made a statement in his professional debut, scoring a second-round TKO win over Algeria’s Mountasser Boutouta in a Showcase Flyweight bout. Displaying sharp, well-rounded striking, Basahel picked Boutouta apart with punches, knees, and kicks. He sealed the deal in the second round with a perfectly-timed knee, followed by a flurry of ground-and-pound to force the stoppage.
A commanding performance from bell to bell earned Egypt’s Assem Ghanem a spot in the Featherweight Semifinals, as he smothered Hussein Salem of Iraq over three rounds to secure a unanimous decision victory. Ghanem was relentless on the ground, leaving Salem with no answers for his grappling dominance.
Islam Reda of Egypt punched his way into the Featherweight Semifinals with a crushing third-round TKO win over Algeria’s Akram Nasri. There was no stopping Reda after getting into full mount in the final round, as he unloaded a ground and pound barrage to get the win.
Mohammad Fahmi of Iraq also secured a spot in the Lightweight Semifinals with a dominant performance, submitting Georges Eid of Lebanon via Anaconda Choke in the first round. Fahmi quickly brought the fight to the ground and methodically worked his way to the submission, forcing Eid to tap at the 3:12 mark.
In the final fight of his MMA career, Ahmed Makki of Saudi Arabia went out with a bang, as he notched a third-round submission win over Hasham Elnamer of Egypt in a Showcase Lightweight bout. Makki was relentless on the ground from the opening bell, as he controlled the action with his high-level grappling. In the final round, Makki locked in a Heel Hook to get the tap and earn the victory.
Souhil Tairi of Algeria also advanced to the Lightweight Semifinals with a spectacular second-round TKO win over Kuwait’s Abdullah Saleem. A devastating knee to the body spelled the beginning of the end for Saleem, as Tairi followed up with vicious strikes on the ground to score the stoppage win.
Eman Almudhaf of Kuwait remained undefeated in her MMA career as she defeated Shamara Braga of Brazil in a Showcase Women’s Featherweight bout. Almudhaf bucked a slow opening round and put the pressure on Braga in the second and third rounds to earn a split decision victory.
The opening bout of the night saw Abdulaziz Al Moammar of Saudi Arabia pick up the win over Fares Hamdani of Algeria in an Amateur Showcase bout. Al Moammar was the more aggressive fighter all throughout the three-round contest, using his grappling to control the pace en route to a unanimous decision win.
The originally-scheduled Featherweight Tournament co-main event bout between Jordan’s Izzeddine Al Derbani and Yanis Ghemmouri of Algeria was taken off the card after Al Derbani was deemed unable to compete due to medical reasons.
COMPLETE PFL MENA 1: JEDDAH FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS
Lightweight Tournament Bout
Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Ahmed El Sisy by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight Tournament Bout
Salah Eddine Hamli def. Abbas Khan by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:05 of Round 3
Featherweight Tournament Bout
Taha Bendaoud def. Boualem Drissi by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:07 of Round 1
Showcase Flyweight Bout
Malik Basahel def. Mountasser Boutouta by TKO (Strikes) at 2:32 of Round 2
Featherweight Tournament Bout
Assem Ghanem def. Hussein Salem by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-25)
Featherweight Tournament Bout
Islam Reda def. Akram Nasri by TKO (Strikes) at 4:33 of Round 3
Lightweight Tournament Bout
Mohammad Fahmi def. Georges Eid by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at 3:12 of Round 1
Showcase Lightweight Bout
Ahmed Makki def. Hasham Elnamer by Submission (Heel Hook) at 2:03 of Round 3
Lightweight Tournament Bout
Souhil Tairi def. Abdullah Saleem by TKO (Strikes) at 3:20 of Round 2
Showcase Women’s Featherweight Bout
Eman Almudhaf def. Shamara Braga by Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Showcase Catchweight Bout – 166 lbs (Amateur)
Abdulaziz Al Moammar def. Fares Hamdani by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
