RIYADH: Featherweights Husein Kadimagomaev of Switzerland and Germany’s Zafar Mohsen top the bill in a stacked card for the Professional Fighters League “Battle of the Giants” in Riyadh on Oct. 19.
Kadimagomaev enters the bout with an 11-1 record after an amateur record of 12-0, which has put him on the radar as one of the hottest prospects at featherweight. His professional career record includes six wins by knockout, and four by submission.
Meanwhile Afghanistan-born, Germany-based knockout artist Mohsen has had an accomplished career in Europe with his last three wins decided by guillotine, doctor’s stoppage, and a TKO.
The PFL event takes place at Mayadeen in Riyadh, with local fans getting a close look at Saudi mixed martial artist Mostafa Nada, who will take on Egypt’s Ahmed Sami in a middleweight contest on the early card.
Further regional interest will focus on the early card featherweight bout between the UAE’s Youssef Al Housani and the undefeated Morocco-born Taha “Atlas Lion” Bendaoud, who fights out of Las Vegas.
Alongside the confirmed main card, the full early card has been released, including a bantamweight match-up between Raufeon “Supa” Stots and Marcos Breno, who are joined by prospects and veterans from across the Americas, Europe and Asia taking part in PFL’s biggest event yet.
MMA superstar and former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou makes his highly anticipated return to the sport. “The Predator” faces PFL heavyweight champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira, who is 6 feet 8 inches tall, for the newly minted PFL Super Fights Championship Belt.
The co-main event will feature another world title fight — the Women’s Featherweight PFL Super Fight Championship. One of the greatest female MMA fighters of all time, Cris Cyborg, puts her legacy on the line when she squares off against PFL two-division champion Larissa Pacheco, who is out to prove she is the top women’s MMA fighter on the planet.
A third title fight of the night, the Bellator middleweight world championship, will be contested by undefeated Bellator middleweight world champion Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards. The pair met in 2023 at Bellator 299 where Edwards took the fight to the champion and landed a savage elbow, opening up his opponent’s forehead, only for the champion to respond with a TKO finish in the third round.
At lightweight, former Bellator featherweight world champion A. J. McKee will provide a tough test for Paul Hughes, when the man with the longest winning streak in Bellator history (18) faces Northern Irishman Hughes, who many consider to be the top lightweight prospect on the planet.
‘Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact’ main card
Heavyweight: Francis Ngannou (17-3) vs. Renan Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC)
Women’s featherweight co-main event: Cris Cyborg (27-2, 1 NC) vs. Larissa Pacheco (23-4)
Bellator middleweight world title bout: Johnny Eblen (15-0) vs. Fabian Edwards (13-3)
Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev (11-1, 1 NC) vs. Zafar Mohsen (13-4)
Lightweight: A. J. McKee (22-1) vs. Paul Hughes (12-1)
‘Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact’ early card
Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots (20-2) vs. Marcos Breno (15-3)
Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov (15-4) vs. Dedrek Sanders (9-4)
Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (7-0) vs. Nacho Campos (5-0)
Middleweight: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Ahmed Sami (11-4-0, 1 NC)
Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani (4-1) vs. Taha Bendaoud (3-0)
