The PFL MENA 2026 season gets underway in Dubai on 24 May, with Morocco facing Algeria on a fight card featuring athletes from across the Middle East and North Africa.
The season opener takes place at the Coca-Cola Arena and marks the first time a PFL MENA event is held outside Saudi Arabia. Fighters from 11 countries are on the bill.
The co-main event sees unbeaten Moroccan champion Salah “Supersalah” Eddine Hamli (11-0) take on experienced Algerian veteran Ylies “Broly” Djiroun (24-9).
Hamli, who became PFL MENA Lightweight Champion in December 2025 after a second-round submission win over Iraq’s Mohammad Fahmi, is confident heading into the bout.
“I know Ylies Djiroun is a very good fighter, has a lot of experience and has fought strong opponents,” he said. “And I am ready, I am ready to face him and show my skills and my level in Dubai. I’m really excited.”
Despite Djiroun’s long career across multiple promotions, Hamli downplayed the challenge. “Djiroun is another fighter in my way and I need to smash him,” he said. “I am ready for another year of dominance. I am ready to take over. I am ready to win the belt for the second time.”
Hamli said pressure is not a factor as he prepares to defend his status. “I don’t have pressure because I do all my 100% in training. I am so motivated,” he said. “I think my opponent has pressure because he is fighting me.”
Looking ahead to fight night, Hamli promised a finish. “I am ready to show all my skills, striking, wrestling, grappling. I finished all my fights. I am ready for another finish,” he said. “It doesn’t matter in the first round, second round, third round. I am going to finish this guy.”
Beyond Djiroun, Hamli is already thinking bigger, naming PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov as his dream opponent. “My dream right now in PFL is to fight Usman Nurmagomedov. I think I can win,” he said. “I am so confident in my skills. I am ready to show the people the first Moroccan fighter going to win the PFL belt, inshallah.”
Another Moroccan fighter on the card is Taha Bendaoud (5-1). He is coming off the first loss of his career, a unanimous decision defeat to Islam Reda at PFL MENA 7 last September in Riyadh. He will now face experienced Bahraini fighter Hamza Kooheji in a featherweight tournament quarter-final.
The wider event marks a major shift for the PFL MENA series, which was originally planned for Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia before being moved to Dubai.
Jerome Mazet, general manager of PFL MENA, said the location reflects Dubai’s role as a regional sports hub, with fighters from 11 nations competing on the card.
The main event features UAE fighter Mohammad “The UAE Warrior” Yahya against Tunisia’s Mehdi Saadi in a featherweight quarter-final.
The event starts at 2:00 PM GMT+1 and will be streamed free on the Starzplay app.
