Last Words: PFL MENA 1 Media Day

موعدنا غدًا، أمام قفص القتال.

جميع الأنظار متجهة لجدة، احجزوا تذاكركم قبل نفادها!

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بطولة "PFL MENA" | الجمعة، 9 مايو | جدة، المملكة العربية السعودية | التذاكر عبر الرابط في البايو 🔗 | مباشر على منصة "STARZPLAY"#نصنع_التاريخ #السعودية pic.twitter.com/CbTyl7Z5AQ

— PFL MENA (@PFLMENA) May 8, 2025

The Professional Fighters League’s Middle East and North Africa branch will kick off its second season with PFL MENA 1 on Friday at Onyx Arena in Jedda, Sauda Arabia. Media day allowed the participants to offer up some final thoughts ahead of the event. A sampling:

Malik Basahel: In making his professional debut after 25 amateur fights, the 23-year-old Basahel just wants to show he belongs on the big stage and believes his long amateur career will give him the experience he needs to succeed as a pro. “My number one goal is to show I can be the best I can be. My long-term goal is to be PFL MENA champion [and] PFL world champion, but right now, I just want to continue to grow and learn as I start my career.”

Ahmad Makki: Although he did not have a long career, Makki revealed that he has made the decision to retire at the conclusion of his upcoming fight at PFL MENA 1. A fighter who has a significant following on social media, Makki said he wants to show everyone the true meaning of martial arts in his bout and will continue to spread the word about the sport even after he retires. “On social media, I’m spreading the knowledge of martial arts and how to use it correctly. A lot of fans don’t know that I used to fight, so I’m going to show them that I’m a real fighter and I want to show them what I really have. This is for the fans and for myself. I need to say goodbye.”

Eman Almudhaf: A rising star making her PFL MENA debut, Almudhaf has finished all four of her professional fights. Her only goal? To prove she’s the best in the world. “In my career in general and the PFL specifically, I want to take this as far as I can. I want to be the best. I want to be number one in this company. That’s my goal and always has been since I got started. Being number one is what drives me every day to get to the gym, and it is what is driving me coming into my fight at PFL MENA.”

Abdulaziz Bin Moammar: Ahead of his professional debut, Bin Moammar has been labeled the next big fighting star out of Saudi Arabia but chooses to take a slow and mature approach to his fighting career. He claims to feel no pressure. “I’m ready for this challenge because I’ve worked so hard for it. I know myself, and I know the work I’ve put in. I want my name to be big in this sport, but I don’t feel any pressure. I’m just praying for the best to happen for me.”

Islam Reda: Having competed in PFL MENA in 2024 and having gone 2-0 while doing so, Reda believes his experience in the league will help him even more coming into this year. Reda said the biggest thing he learned was that he needed to take care of his body and his mental approach, not just train for fights. “I learned last year that I have to train smart. I was supposed to be in the finals but had an ankle injury. Now, I have put all the effort into training smart and getting back to where I was last year. It’s not just about winning fights. Going through PFL MENA, I’ve learned I have to stay healthy and mentally sharp to succeed.”

Salah Eddine Hamli: Undefeated in his career, Hamil said his biggest goal is to win the PFL MENA tournament. “My biggest goal this year is to obviously go in and win the PFL MENA tournament. I want to become champion, and I want to be able to bring my belt back home and show what I’ve achieved. Getting a chance to fight at PFL MENA is very important to me because it’s a big step in my career to show just where I’m at and that I can compete on the biggest stage.”

Youssef Al Housani: Finally making his PFL MENA debut after previously being scheduled last year, Al Housani said he feels the events and the fights will be even bigger in 2025. “I want to thank the PFL for giving me this opportunity, and I want to do something for myself, for my country, and this is the best platform to make history. PFL MENA is different. I don’t just say this because they have given me an opportunity to fight. I’ve had many opportunities my way. I can’t really explain why, but if you ask anyone in this region, they want to fight for PFL MENA.”

PFL MENA General Manager Jerome Mazet: After having been around the success of PFL Europe, Mazet says he feels he has learned plenty from which PFL MENA can benefit. Looking back at last year as a test run for the league, Mazet believes PFL MENA will showcase an even higher level of competition, production and big events for the region this year.