Top Reasons to Catch PFL MENA 2

The Professional Fighters League will return to its mining operations in the Middle East and North Africa with PFL MENA 2 this Friday at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia. The show features quarterfinal showdowns in the welterweight and lightweight divisions. Tournament winners in each weight class earn a $100,000 end-of-season prize, a championship belt and a chance to earn a spot on the PFL’s domestic roster, along with the prestige that accompanies being the last man standing.

Here are three reasons to catch PFL MENA 2:

1. Obstacle Course

Easily one of the most decorated martial artists in the eight-man lightweight field, Mohsen Mohammadseifi was a five-time gold medalist in sanda at the World Wushu Championships prior to his transition to MMA. The 34-year-old Iranian enters his quarterfinal clash against Josh Togo on the strength of four straight victories, three of them finishes. Mohammadseifi last fought under the Brave Combat Federation banner on Dec. 8, when he laid claim to a three-round unanimous decision over David Forster and further cemented himself as a person of interest at 155 pounds. On the other side of the equation, Togo brings 18 fights worth of experience to the table. A onetime UAE Warriors, Urban Fight Night and Eternal MMA champion, he operates out of the Australian Top Team camp in Wentworthville, Australia, just outside of Sydney. The 5-foot-10 Togo last suited up at EMMA 83, where he was awarded split scorecards against Jack Becker on March 16.

2. No Time Like the Present

Jarrah Al-Silawi has yet to find his sea legs against PFL competition. The former two-division Brave Combat Federation champion owns a 2-3 record across his five appearances in the organization, his wins over Michael Lilly and Gleison Tibau offset by losses to Magomed Umalatov , Sadibou Sy and Solomon Renfro . Al-Silawi, 32, has secured seven of his 19 professional victories by knockout or technical knockout and five more by submission. The well-versed Jordanian carries his reputation as an equal-opportunity finisher into his welterweight quarterfinal opposite Ahmed Sami , a short-notice substitution for Bashar Thaer . The 30-year-old Sami steps into the spotlight having won four of his past six bouts. An ex-Arabic Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder, he finds himself on the rebound following a five-round unanimous decision defeat to Dana White’s Contender Series alum Yousri Belgaroui in a failed bid to capture Levels Fight League gold on Feb. 18.

3. Burden of Proof

Mohammad Alaqraa ’s association with the American Kickboxing Academy offers enough reason alone to keep an eye on the undefeated prospect. The 24-year-old Kuwaiti has won all five of his fights, three of them on points, since he turned pro at an Ultimate Warrior Challenge event in 2021. Alaqraa held up well in his final pre-PFL tune-up, as he took a unanimous decision from Omar El Dafrawy and improved to 5-0 at UAE Warriors 40 on March 19. Youcef Ouabbas , 26, stands in his way in their PFL MENA welterweight quarterfinal. A Cheick Kongo protégé based in France, Ouabbas has stopped two of his first three opponents. He has not seen action in more than two years, having last appeared at Bellator 280 on May 6, 2022. There, Ouabbas disposed of Matthieu Letho Duclos with punches a little more than four minutes into the first round of their encounter.