Abdullah Al-Qahtani made historical past on November 29, 2024, by successful the PFL MENA Featherweight Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 26-year-old fighter defeated Marouane Bellagouit by TKO within the first spherical, securing his place as one of many prime names in MMA. With this victory, Al-Qahtani improved his skilled report to 10-2, incomes each the championship belt and a $100,000 prize.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani
This PFL MENA title was the fruits of years of onerous work. “Oh, it’s good,” Abdullah Al-Qahtani instructed me in a dialog. “I labored for this, and now I received my belt. That is what I needed from the start of my journey. I needed one thing large.”
Badr Hari
Raised in Saudi Arabia with Moroccan roots, Al-Qahtani was impressed by the legendary kickboxer Badr Hari, a family identify in Morocco. As a toddler, he would watch Hari on YouTube and TV, marveling at his knockout energy. “After I noticed Badr Hari, I assumed, ‘This man is large!’” Al-Qahtani mentioned. “I needed to be like him.” What Badr Hari did for fight sports activities in Morocco, Al-Qahtani is seeking to do the identical in Saudi Arabia alongside the PFL.
Trying forward, Al-Qahtani is already planning his subsequent steps. He’s excited for the longer term and desirous to characterize Saudi Arabia on the worldwide stage. “I don’t simply wish to be a standard fighter,” he mentioned. “I wish to be somebody folks look as much as.”
