Professional Fighters League (PFL) is continuing its global expansion by announcing its second international league with the launch of PFL MENA, which will be focusing on talent in the Middle East and North Africa.
PFL recently partnered up with SRJ Sports Investments, which will help bring the four-event series to life starting in April, and joins PFL Europe as part of the promotion’s international portfolio. The full roster of fighters is expected to be released next month.
“We are excited to announce the PFL’s second international league with our partners SRJ. Driven by the strategic importance of mixed martial arts in burgeoning markets,” said PFL CEO, Peter Murray.
“SRJ’s investment underscores the immense potential of the sport in the region. PFL MENA expands the PFL brand and MMA footprint in the Middle East bringing events to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region.”
The promotion announced further details about the new league per a press release.
The inaugural PFL MENA season will feature 32 fighters competing across 4 weight classes in a sports-season format, with a regular season, playoffs, and championship. The league will also host showcase fights to develop local and regional talents, such as Hattan Alsaif, the first female fighter from Saudi Arabia to sign a contract with a major global MMA promotion. She will be making her amateur PFL debut in showcase bouts on the PFL MENA cards.
Indeed, PFL recently made more history by signing Hattan Alsaif, the first-ever Saudi Arabian-born women’s fighter to ink a deal with a major MMA promotion. She is expected to make her MMA debut on one of the MENA cards, though no timetable has been made available.
For now, the promotion will hold its first event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (beating UFC to the punch) later today (Sat., Feb. 24, 2024) by bringing the best PFL has to offer to face off against Bellator’s best in a “Champion vs. Champion” mega-event. Headlining the card is a Heavyweight championship bout between Renan Ferreira and Ryan Bader, while a Middleweight title fight between Impa Kasanganay and Johnny Eblen will co-headline the event.
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This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
