PFL MENA 9: Pride of Arabia Brings the Season Opener to Dubai

PFL MENA 9: Pride of Arabia takes place on Sunday, 24 May 2026, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and it opens the 2026 season for the PFL’s Middle East and North Africa league. The card marks a major shift for the promotion, as it is the first PFL MENA event to be hosted outside Saudi Arabia.

Event Context

The event was originally planned for early May in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, but it was postponed and moved to Dubai because of safety concerns tied to the regional conflict. That change gives the card added significance, since it becomes both a sporting showcase and a symbol of the league’s regional flexibility.

PFL MENA 9 starts at 5:00 PM GST and will be broadcast live on Starzplay for viewers in the region and on Vice TV in the United States. With the season officially getting underway, the card carries extra importance for fighters looking to build momentum in a new competitive landscape.

Main Event

The featherweight main event features Mohammad Yahya against Mehdi Saadi. As the headliner, it sets the tone for the tournament-based portion of the show and gives local and regional fans a meaningful fight to anchor the night.

The co-main event follows with a lightweight matchup between Salah Eddine Hamli and Ylies Djiroun. That fight adds another high-level regional clash and helps strengthen the top end of the card.

Tournament Fights

The biggest competitive storyline is the quarterfinal round for both the lightweight and featherweight divisions. Those bouts will determine who advances deeper into the PFL MENA tournament structure, so every result matters immediately.

The featured tournament matchups include Hamza Kooheji vs. Taha Bendaoud at featherweight, Mohammad Fahmi vs. Assem Ghanem at lightweight, Ahmed El-Sisy vs. Harda Karim at lightweight, and Georges Eid vs. Abdullah Saleem at lightweight. Eid’s original opponent, Hussein Fakher, withdrew because of visa issues, which led to the revised pairing.

Showcase Bouts

Beyond the tournament bouts, the card includes a set of regional showcase fights that broaden the event’s appeal. Those matchups include Alameri vs. Osman at featherweight, Ahmed Albrahim vs. Ibrahim Mahmoud at welterweight, and Marhoon vs. Qasmieh at flyweight.

There is also a women’s strawweight amateur showcase between Zamzam Al-Hammadi and Abeer Mansour. That fight helps round out a diverse card and gives the event a wider regional development feel.

Why It Matters

PFL MENA 9 is important because it launches the 2026 season in a new location and under unusual circumstances. Moving the event to Dubai gives the promotion a fresh stage, while still preserving the regional identity of the league.

The tournament quarterfinals also make the card meaningful from a sporting perspective. With advancement on the line, the event is not just a showcase — it is the first real step in shaping the season across the featherweight and lightweight divisions.

Final Word

PFL MENA 9: Pride of Arabia has the ingredients of a significant regional MMA event. It combines a new host city, a season-opening tournament format, and a strong mix of championship and showcase bouts, making it one of the key PFL MENA cards of the year.