Preview: PFL Champions Series 1 ‘Road to Dubai’

Middleweights

Ahmed Sami (11-4, 0-0 PFL) vs. Tarek Suleiman (13-8, 0-0 PFL): The 30-year-old Sami is a well-traveled middleweight who has competed in Oktagon MMA, UAE Warriors and Desert Force but hasn’t won a fight since October 2023. He will be hungry to climb back into the win column, but it won’t be easy against the battle-tested Syrian who has 11 finishes in 13 career wins.

Middleweights

Mostafa Rashed Nada (9-3, 2-0 PFL) vs. Haider Khan (8-1, 0-0 PFL): Nada is an explosive Saudi, with three of his last five wins coming in the first round. He’s primed for a big 2025 campaign after starching Abdel Rahmane Driai in July. He will have to welcome a PFL debutant to the cage in Khan, who has won four straight and is coming off an impressive second-round submission victory.

Lightweights

John Mitchell (9-2, 2-1 PFL) vs. Souhil Tahiri (7-5-1, 1-1 PFL): Mitchell, a lanky Irish lightweight, bounced back from losing in the 2023 PFL Europe final with a first-round finish in his last fight. He will look to build on that momentum with a win over Tahri, who has gone 2-2 in his previous four appearances.

Lightweights

Mirafzal Akhtamov (8-0-1, 0-0 PFL) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2, 0-0 PFL): Somebody’s winning streak is going bye-bye in this battle of surging lightweights. Thompson hails from England and has a crushing left hand that has ended his last three fights in the first round. Akhatamov has never been beaten and his ground game is more fleshed out, but if Thompson lands big, he could be the first stain on Akhtamov’s record.

Flyweights

Ruel Panales (6-2, 0-0 PFL) vs. Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1, 0-1 PFL): Panales was last seen in a Road to UFC tournament, where he dropped a close decision. Al Hussanini also is on the rebound after suffering a third-round rear-naked choke defeat at PFL MENA 2 in July.

Featherweights (Amateur)

Saeed Al Hosani (0-0) vs. Talal Al Qallaf (0-0): Featherweight hopefuls Al Hosani and Al Qallaf kick off the preliminary card. Al Qallaf hails from Kuwait and won his last fight in 2022 via unanimous decision. Al Hosani is still looking for his first win in the cage.

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