https://arab.news/8ews2
- Saudi fighter lost to Jordanian opponent in September’s semifinal but now gets spot in final after Islam Reda pulled out due to injury
RIYADH: When the inaugural season of the Professional Fighters League MENA kicked off, perhaps no other fighter on the roster was as heavy a favorite as Saudi superstar Abdullah “The Reaper” Al-Qahtani.
A featherweight standout who had previously impressed in the PFL’s global stage, he looked like he was well on his way to becoming PFL MENA’s inaugural 145-pound king.
Al-Qahtani kicked the year off with a TKO win over Edukondala Rao at the PFL Champions vs Bellator Champions card in February, and then won his PFL MENA debut against Yazeed Hasanain to secure a spot in the semifinals.
With PFL MENA gold just two wins away, Al-Qahtani was riding a wave of confidence that was well-deserved, having been unbeaten under the PFL banner up to that point.
In the semifinal match last month, he faced off against a significantly less experienced Jordanian in Abdelrahman Alhyasat.
Fighting in front of a hometown crowd in Riyadh, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Al-Qahtani would emerge victorious. Alhyasat, however, had other plans.
In what was a tightly contested three-round affair, the up-and-comer from Jordan pulled out all the stops to grind out a decision victory and hand Al-Qahtani his first loss in the PFL, ending the Saudi’s dream of becoming the first ever PFL MENA featherweight champion — or so it seemed.
As fate would have it, Al-Qahtani finds himself back in the championship picture as the PFL has announced that he will be stepping in for featherweight finalist Islam Reda, who has been forced to pull out from the title bout due to injury.
On Nov. 29, Al-Qahtani and Alhyasat face off once again, less than three months after their initial encounter.
This time around, however, the stakes are much higher. These two 145-pound stars will not be just fighting for PFL MENA gold and glory.
For Al-Qahtani, it is a shot at redemption and a chance to prove to the world that he is indeed the best 145-pounder in the Middle East.
For Alhyasat, it is an opportunity to show that his first win over Saudi Arabia’s best was no fluke.