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2025 PFL WORLD TOURNAMENT 3: FIRST ROUND - APRIL 18, 2025   Impa Kasanganay, Fabian Edwards, Brent Primus and others speak to the media ahead of the PFL World Tournament 3: First Round event in Orlando, FL on April 18 at Universal Studios Florida

The July 7, 2015, edition of The Washington Post  described an incident in which a man on a moving train allegedly punched a passenger until he fell, then stabbed him repeatedly in the torso and arms until he died. As the crime unfolded, other passengers in the coach watched; not one intervened. The tendency to not get involved, dubbed the “bystander effect,” is becoming the norm these days, particularly in big cities where a sense of community doesn’t exist. Rather than helping the person in distress, people simply ignore the assault — or start recording it. In rural settings, there still exists enough of a community feel to make people rush to help neighbors in need, especially among the older generation. But in metropolitan areas, you encounter more and more stories like the one above from Washington, D.C. It seems everyone is waiting for someone else — be it the government, police or anyone with authority — to help first. Sadly, that seldom happens. The good news is, it’s not always like that. We can find many cases in which all that was required was for someone — anyone — to start helping. That usually opens the floodgates and other citizens jump in. Recall the actions of Jeremy Glick, Todd Beamer and the other brave passengers who chose to take on the terrorists who hijacked Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. It’s an easy-enough concept: Create or find a leader and someone’s bound to follow. Once that happens, more people will feel comfortable following because they perceive a lower risk of being singled out and harmed. In that tragic D.C. stabbing, a single leader could have started a movement on the train. That’s not to say anyone is to blame — there’s no shame in not getting involved. It’s scary, it’s bloody, it’s violent. It takes a special kind of psychotic to stab another human being in anger and hatred. It’s a personal, tactile, messy affair. Jumping into the middle of it is daunting. Afterward, many who witnessed the carnage said the same thing: “I was waiting for someone else to step in, then I would’ve helped. There wasn’t anything I could have done on my own.” And they’re probably right. Taking down a violent person who’s wielding a knife and has no regard for human life is a difficult task. In no way does that mean it’s hopeless, however. By definition, martial artists train to prepare for all kinds of physical conflict. There are numerous steps you can take now to ready yourself for a situation in which you might have to neutralize a knife attack aimed at a third party. Taking Action First, understand there’s power in numbers. If you’re trying to take down an active stabber on your own, you’ll need skill, strength, speed, explosiveness, a combat mindset and possibly a bit of luck. Your chances dramatically improve if you have allies. Your chances improve exponentially if the person (or people) on your side has trained with you and together you have a plan. But let’s assume you’re on your own when you decide to intervene. Don’t think of disarming the attacker in the traditional sense. In other words, forget trying to take away his knife. Your primary goals should be to stop the next stab from occurring, to control the assailant sufficiently to stop subsequent stabs to you or the victim (even if only momentarily), and to disable or disarm him so he no longer poses a threat. At that point, he’ll be taken into custody by law enforcement, or you and the victim will escape. It’s worth noting that all three goals can be accomplished on first contact — if you can make the attacker suddenly unconscious or otherwise unable to function. Chances are the solution will not be flashy, cool or elegant, and that’s fine. You need to focus on easy-to-execute techniques that will have an immediate effect. Attempt more difficult options only if no simple alternative presents itself. Case Study No. 2 In Rotterdam, Netherlands, a man was videotaped while stabbing his 22-year-old ex from a mounted position on a sidewalk. This is relevant because during the commission of the crime, he was oblivious to three men who were attempting to stop him. At first, one man tried to push the attacker off the victim using his briefcase. Then two men tried to push him away with halfhearted kicks. Eventually — but after many more stabs — the three joined forces and pulled him off by grabbing the hood of his sweater. Where did they fail? They tried to use the tools they had in a less-than-optimal manner. The man with the briefcase could have swung it like a club, aiming a corner at the attacker’s head. It would have been much easier for the man to do that under stress if he’d practiced it in a dojo. A similar shortcoming probably afflicted the men who attempted to kick. It’s unlikely they’d practiced round kicks that sent their shins into an opponent’s head while the opponent was mounted on another person, but if they had, they might have been able to dislodge the man with the knife a lot sooner. Either action could have worked in this scenario. The odds of success would have been even better because the knifer was oblivious to their presence at first. Lesson Learned Case study No. 2 teaches that you should devote some of your training time to the use of everyday objects as weapons. Note that you must practice employing them offensively, as opposed to defensively like a shield. Your mission is to disrupt the attacker’s command-and-control system. If you've attended a firearms course, you know that there are three proven ways to stop an attacker immediately: shut down the brain, disable the nervous system by severing the spine and break down the body’s structure severely enough to make movement impossible. Assuming you don't have a firearm, the first option offers the greatest odds of success. Strikes to the body are easier to land, but they're less likely to effect the instant stoppage you need to end the attack. Returning to goal No. 1 mentioned earlier — stopping the next stab — it follows that No. 1 on your how-to-immediately-stop-a-deadly-attack list should be attacking the head. Accept that and train with that end in mind. Use improvised weapons to target the head of an opponent or, better yet, a training dummy. Practice approaching at angles that keep you out of his field of vision whenever possible. Generally, that means coming in between 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock. Focus on attacking the knifer from his non-knife side. This will keep you away from the blade, thus reducing the likelihood of getting cut when you kick him in the head. It also will reduce the chance that his attacking limb will get in the way when you strike or kick. Try to limit your attack vectors to ones that would snap the attacker’s head back or move his weight backward or away from the victim at an angle greater than 90 degrees. Your goal is to stop the very next stab, which means you don't want to help him move his weight forward onto the victim. This approach works whether the attacker is standing or mounted on his victim, although it’s much easier to do on the ground because of the distances, heights and angles. Forget about firing a round kick at the head of a standing attacker. You might get only one shot at this; don’t waste it on a high round kick in which too much force is lost to height and in which you’re forced to get close. That will elevate the possibility of your kicking leg getting tangled up on the way to his head. Remember, too, that a standing attacker stabbing a victim is unlikely to be stationary unless he’s backed up against a wall. The victim is probably fighting to get away or stop the stabbing arm, and the attacker is probably holding onto the victim. That’s the worst-case scenario, but it’s how you must train. So, knowing that you need to take action and, because you’re unarmed, must go hands-on, what can you do to achieve your goal of stopping an active stabbing? More important than technique is principle. The dynamics of the attack can vary greatly, so it’s tough to dictate techniques. The principles you use, however, will always be the same. Move to Survive Assume a standing attacker is stabbing another standing person. Your first goal is to stop the very next stab. One way to do that is to wrap the arm that’s doing the stabbing with an overhook from behind. The assailant’s hand is moving the fastest and with the least amount of predictability, and his shoulder/upper arm is moving the least with relative predictability. Therefore, you shouldn’t aim for the hand or wrist; simply make a huge overhook around his biceps with your same-side arm. Next, slide your arm down to his elbow and create maximum backward pressure on his shoulder, effectively stopping any forward movement of the arm. That will stop the next stab momentarily. Of course, simply trapping that arm isn’t enough, especially if the attacker is bigger or stronger, so you have to wrap the arm and simultaneously disrupt the assailant’s balance, focus and ability to rotate his torso toward you to relieve the pressure on his arm. Since you know that “where the head goes, the body follows,” you should deliver a simultaneous palm strike or cross-face to the jaw, forcing his head to rotate away from you and further stretching that shoulder. At this point, you can use your chest against his shoulder blade as a fulcrum. Imagine breaking him in half or splitting a wishbone. With the immediate stabbing danger eliminated for a moment and some control of the head and arm achieved, you need to follow up. This could come in many forms, depending on how you train. A leg-sweep takedown from behind is an option, as is coming off the cross-face into a figure-4 arm control of the knife hand and following up with knees and strikes. Another option is to slide down the arm with both hands and effect a standard wrist-lock disarm, known as a “cavalier” in krav maga. Whatever you go with, make it decisive, explosive and damaging. You cannot let up, or you'll find yourself fending off a very aggressive attacker with a knife. The principles used in this course of action match your goals: stop the immediate stab (wrap the arm), control the limb and/or the attacker (violent cross-face with back pressure on the arm) and disable/disarm (follow up with takedowns or counterstrikes). Going Down You can apply these same principles to a mounted attacker, as well. One minor change in technique, but not principle, would be to wrap the head from the opposite side using a hook with your hand on the chin instead of the cross-face. Now you have more leverage for the neck torque than you did with the cross-face because you can pull with both arms. Just yank back on the stabbing arm with your strong-side arm, rotating the head away in the opposite direction. This time, use your hips as the fulcrum against his shoulder blade. Because separating the attacker from the victim is more difficult on the ground and you can’t expect the victim to naturally create distance from this position like he or she would do while standing, you need to move the attacker. Remember: Where the head goes, the body follows. You’re going to continue to “unscrew” his head from his body by pulling around on his chin, eventually rotating him off the victim and to the ground by pivoting on your outside foot and turning your inside foot about 90 degrees — think “basketball pivot.” After rotating the attacker off and down, your options are more limited than when standing, considering that you don’t want to end up rolling around with a guy who has a knife. Aim for a stomp or a knee to the head while sliding down the arm to catch the wrist holding the knife. If a wrist lock presents itself, break it. If not, continue with power strikes as long as you have some control of the knife hand and you’re not going to be pulled down. High Risk The recommendations in this article are high risk, but if you ever find yourself in a situation where you simply must do something, they should give you a starting point. More important, if other people are around, your leadership ideally will inspire a follower, and then another, to create a movement of good citizens doing good things for someone in need.

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How a humble start, a master’s in psychology, and a passion for coaching shaped one of MMA’s rising grapplers. As the managing editor of Black Belt , I get to sit down with some incredible martial artists. But some interviews linger long after the camera turns off, and my virtual conversation with Natalie Salcedo was definitely  one of those moments. Curiosity Turns Into Passion Let’s rewind the clock.  Natalie’s journey into martial arts didn’t start with visions of the cage—it started with curiosity. “I originally started training Muay Thai as a teenager because a friend was doing it,” she laughed. “It was very recreational, once or twice a week. I just wanted something positive to do with my time.” Life, however, nudged her in unexpected directions. At her small, competitive gym, Natalie found herself jokingly “peer-pressured” into jiu-jitsu. At first, she resisted—after all, striking was her comfort zone. Yet three or four months later, she admitted, “Okay, I kind of like this,” and grappling became her passion. Her days now are a blend of coaching and training—Muay Thai, MMA transitions, timing rounds, technical sparring, and plenty of jiu-jitsu. Training, Coaching, and Growth Coaching has sharpened her own performance in unexpected ways. “Being a coach is really beneficial because it forces you to really look at what people are doing. Like, how can you pick people apart? And obviously in class, it’s for the purpose of helping your students—like, okay, I see your foot’s not turning all the way, I see you’re dropping your hand here, I see your weight’s a little off, and that’s why you’re struggling.”  she explains. Watching and analyzing students’ movements has strengthened her ability to adjust mid-fight, giving her a mental edge that rivals any physical skill. The Mental Edge That edge is amplified by her master’s degree in sports psychology, earned earlier this year, and shaped further by her husband’s military experience in resilience training. “Someone can have all the potential, but then they fall apart—and it’s just because the mindset isn’t there. Especially at the elite level, I really think that’s what separates people.”  she says. Aggression With Intention Her fight style? Aggressive—but intentional. Standing shorter than many partners she works with, Natalie learned to push forward, set the pace, and blend instinct with strategy. For anyone watching her story unfold, she has one key message: “Never be afraid to chase your dreams based on how long it will take. Ten years from now, the time is going to pass anyway. You can either be where you are now, or ten years into your progress.” Natalie Salcedo is a ONE Championship fighter, a coach, a scholar—and a reminder that passion paired with mindset can take you further than you ever imagined. See her in action on One Fight Night 35 , September 5th.

Some dreams find you when you're not looking. For Bampara Kouyate, one Instagram message transformed his entire world, launching the #2 -ranked featherweight Muay Thai contender from the familiar confines of training camps into the glamorous chaos of Milan Fashion Week. Now, he’s splitting time between throwing piercing kicks and striking poses, between “the art of eight limbs” and “the art of high fashion.” On September 5, the French-Malian striker will step into Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium to face Thai knockout artist Shadow Singha Mawynn at ONE Fight Night 35: Buntan vs. Hemetsberger on Prime Video. For Kouyate, victory could mean a shot at featherweight gold. But win or lose, he'll likely have a photoshoot scheduled for the following week. It's a lifestyle that began almost by accident, born from the same platform that connects fighters with fans worldwide. Social media opened a door Kouyate never knew existed. "I got a DM (direct message) from an agent on Instagram, and I didn't reply because I thought it was a scam. Then I realized this was something real,” the 30-year-old recalled, describing a journey that reads like a modern fairy tale. “He asked me to sign with big agencies around the world, like in Italy, London, New York, Paris. So, I just started like this, and then I went to Milan Fashion Week." From that single Instagram message, Kouyate found himself walking the runways of one of the fashion world’s most prestigious events. But balancing elite-level Muay Thai training with the demands of international modeling has created a lifestyle that would exhaust most people. But not for Kouyate. For him, it's become the rhythm of his life. "It's been completely different and very intense to combine both. A lot of travel, a lot of shootings, training, flights. My life is very intense, but I love it. I really love it, actually, to be active and feel productive," he explained, revealing the mindset that allows him to thrive in such a demanding dual existence. The constant movement between photo studios and training facilities, fashion capitals and fight venues, could easily overwhelm someone less committed to both crafts. Yet Kouyate has found success in each arena, building a modeling portfolio that spans continents while establishing himself as one of ONE Championship's most dangerous strikers with TKO victories over America's Luke Lessei and Thailand's Jo Nattawut. What makes this balancing act possible isn't just physical stamina or time management – it's Kouyate's unique perspective on what connects these seemingly opposite pursuits. "This feeling for me, it's just amazing. To do something that I love, and get money for it — that's just amazing. I'm just very grateful to life, and I love it," he shared, his appreciation evident in every word. But perhaps most revealing is how Kouyate sees the deeper connection between standing in front of cameras and standing across from opponents intent on his destruction. Where others might see contradiction, he sees harmony. "It's extremely different things, but the main part is art. For me, I see the artistic part from fashion and from Muay Thai. For me, it's just art, and I'm an artist," Kouyate offered. Now, as he prepares for his battle with Shadow, Kouyate stands at a crossroads where his dual careers could converge in the most meaningful way. Victory would likely earn him a title shot, potentially making him one of the few people on Earth who could claim to be both a legitimate fashion model and a Muay Thai World Champion. For the man who sees beauty in both fashion and fighting, it's just another day at the office – albeit one that millions will be watching.

Loss has a way of reshaping champions, and for Jackie Buntan, the pain of losing her father has become fuel for her most ambitious goal yet. The ONE Women's Strawweight Kickboxing World Champion will step into the ring at ONE Fight Night 35 this coming Friday, September 5, carrying both the weight of grief and the dream of making history as she battles Austrian striker Stella Hemetsberger for the vacant ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Title. It's a quest that takes on deeper meaning following the December 2024 passing of her father, who lost his courageous two-year battle with colon cancer at the age of 64. For the 28-year-old Filipina-American warrior, the upcoming clash at Bangkok's legendary Lumpinee Stadium represents more than just another title shot – it's a chance to honor the man who watched her rise from a pre-teen training at Boxing Works in Southern California to becoming a global martial arts superstar. Jackie Punches Wondergirl "My father was dealing with that cancer battle for pretty much two years. Close people around me knew. There's certain parts of my life I don't share. We all do private stuff, but so many people have experienced [losing a loved one]," Buntan reflected, her words carrying the weight of someone who understands that strength often comes through vulnerability. The journey to this moment began when Buntan made her ONE Championship debut in 2021, facing Nat "Wondergirl" Jaroonsak and announcing her arrival with a unanimous decision victory. It was a breakthrough moment that resonated far beyond the ring, especially for her father, who witnessed his daughter's star power reach international heights. "I fought 'Wondergirl,' and that was blowing up everywhere, especially on ABS-CBN, which is a big news channel out in the Philippines. He's like, 'Oh, my God, I saw you on ABS-CBN, this news channel in the Philippines.' That's when he realized: she's a star," Buntan recalled, the memory bringing both pride and pain as she remembers sharing that pivotal moment with him. Since that Muay Thai battle, Buntan has compiled an impressive 7-1 record in ONE Championship, culminating in her stunning victory over legendary striker Anissa Meksen to claim the strawweight kickboxing crown last November. Now, with the Muay Thai belt within reach, she faces the challenge of processing grief while pursuing greatness – a delicate balance that requires the same mental fortitude that makes champions. "Grief is – the best way I can explain it – is it's a trip. It's ongoing, and it comes in different waves. It comes in different emotions and, again, I don't think it's ever going to go away. It comes up randomly at the weirdest times," Buntan shared, offering insight into the reality that lies behind the warrior facade. Buntan Kneels Yet within that pain, she's found a source of strength that transcends the physical demands of elite competition. The memories of her father become both motivation and comfort, reminding her that love endures even when the person is gone. "It hurts to look back at the photos, but I'm grateful that I took them because it reminds me of the good times I had with him, and I'm fortunate enough to have that documented,” Buntan said. “All these memories I have of him are of us laughing, and they're good memories."  As she prepares for the biggest fight of her career, Jackie Buntan carries with her the lessons learned through love, loss, and the unbreakable bond between a father and daughter. In the hallowed halls of Lumpinee Stadium, she'll fight not just for championship gold, but for the memory of the man who always believed she was destined to be a star.

Early Days in Silat Fighters in Southeast Asia have practiced pencak silat for thousands of years, but it didn’t capture the attention of Western martial artists until the late 1980s. Suddenly, the Indonesian system was everywhere, with its vicious counterattacks and precision takedowns attracting self-defense practitioners who wanted the best in street-fighting functionality. As a bonus, it offered a fascinating dose of Asian culture. I had the good fortune of starting my silat training under Dan Inosanto in the early 1980s before it became popular. Several years later, Herman Suwanda, master of the mande muda style, started a class at the Inosanto Academy, which I naturally attended. Inosanto later got me into the backyard bukti negara group operated by Paul deThouars. With those wonderful teachers guiding me along the path, I was in silat heaven. Silat worked very well for me. As one of the original Dog Brothers — I was dubbed “Lucky Dog” — I used the art in the group’s all-out, minimal-protection stick fights. In our style of combat, which was deemed “too extreme” by UFC co-founder Art Davie, I was able to regularly apply foot sweeps and my go-to move, the tarik kepala , or head-tilt takedown. The latter technique proved so effective, in fact, that after some time, a couple of my fellow Dog Brothers asked me to stop using it because they feared someone would get injured. I used silat in stick-fighting tournaments, in a challenge stick match in the Philippines and in two empty-hand challenge matches. When people questioned the effectiveness of the style, my teachers would point to my success as proof that it really worked. All was well in the world of silat. Then came MMA. A Rude Awakening Back in the mid-1990s, MMA was called no-holds-barred fighting. I began training with some of the NHB pioneers — in particular, with Egan and Enson Inoue. The experience proved an eye-opener, to say the least. I couldn’t get my silat to work against athletes who had a strong grappling background. Sure, I wasn’t kicking them in the groin or gouging their eyes, but I had to acknowledge that most of my techniques didn’t function as planned. Example: I couldn’t break my opponent’s posture sufficiently to execute a good sweep or takedown. It was frustrating because I knew firsthand how effective silat takedowns could be. I’d used them against resisting opponents many times, but MMA was a different world. The grappler’s base was just too stable, and I couldn’t do the head tilt because my opponent’s neck was often too strong. To make matters worse, I found that my stance was vulnerable to wrestling takedowns. After months of trial and error — mostly error — I decided to set aside my silat skills. It was a sad and difficult decision, to be sure. I enjoyed being known as a silat fighter, but the truth had to come first. My goal in life was, and still is, to be the most effective martial artist possible and then to pass along my knowledge of functional skill development to my students. Silat wasn’t working, so I had to move on. Different Direction I began investing the majority of my energy in MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu while still maintaining my roots in kali, jeet kune do and muay Thai. The No. 1 lesson I learned during this period was that a person’s training method is paramount. You must contest against a resisting opponent or you’ll never be able to apply your techniques against a real aggressor. This proved so important that I coined a phrase: “If you want to learn how to fight, you must practice fighting against someone who is fighting back.”  The martial arts are that simple. As John Machado, one of my BJJ instructors, says, “No sparring, no miracles.” Ten years later, I was the owner of a BJJ black belt who had coached top fighters for matches in the UFC and other grappling events, but something was missing. Although I’d immersed myself in the fight sports for a decade, it dawned on me that I was neglecting the street-fighting facet of the martial arts. Yes, MMA definitely worked, but when there are no rules governing the combatants, you often need something more. My remedy was to put groin strikes, throat grabs and simulated eye attacks back into my sparring sessions. My partners and I trained with resistance — of course, while keeping safety at the forefront of our workouts. And things changed again. Renewed Recognition While sparring with a longtime training partner, I made a move in the clinch. He countered, and I countered back before flowing into a silat technique. Hmm. A few days later, I found myself in the clinch again. He effected a counter to my arm-drag attempt, and that left him open to a cross-arm trap. Another silat success! An hour before it occurred, I would have told anyone that the cross-arm trap is great for movies but nearly impossible to use against a real fighter — but I had just pulled it off. In subsequent sparring sessions, I got it again with other training partners. What was happening? Analysis: Most silat techniques work well in the clinch. Typically, a pencak practitioner makes a strong entry with a strike and, once his opponent is stunned, moves directly to a takedown. If the strike doesn’t have the desired effect, the silat stylist will remain in the clinch and likely resort to additional striking. Meanwhile, the opponent is striking, as well. If the silat stylist has good clinch-fighting skills, however, he can nullify the strikes while looking for an opportunity to unleash his next blow or set up a throw. The key to all this? Proficiency in the clinch. Supporting Skills To get to the clinch when your opponent is a street fighter who’s throwing wild punches is one thing. To do so safely when your opponent is an MMA fighter is quite another. You need kickboxing skills because a trained mixed martial artist is difficult to approach unless you possess solid strikes and tactics. Because MMA practitioners also are likely to be skilled wrestlers, anyone who intends to use silat as a base should work on takedown defense. It requires lots of experience to deal with the power, suddenness and penetration of a strong wrestler — which is where sparring with a resisting partner comes in. If your aim is to use a silat off-balancing technique in the clinch, you can increase your chance of success by using any number of street tactics. For instance, you can maneuver into position to grab his throat, then lift to make him rise onto his toes. Or you can slap him in the groin to cause him to bend forward — he usually will, even if he’s wearing protection. The best part is, such tactics can be practiced safely in sparring sessions, which is the optimal way to gain experience against an opponent who’s fighting back. Simple Solution Sparring has been removed from most of the silat that’s taught in the West because it was deemed too dangerous for modern society. But MMA is flourishing, and martial artists now have access to protective equipment that enables them to spar safely. Each of my silat instructors engaged in real fights while learning the art in Indonesia, and that experience gave them the ability to apply their knowledge against resisting opponents intent on doing them harm. If you want to be able to use an art like silat in a chaotic situation, you must train in an environment that mimics the street as much as possible, and that’s no-holds-barred fighting. Yes, learning the techniques and then practicing them with precision is important, but training with resistance is even more crucial if your goal is self-defense proficiency. It’s the single best way to make silat — or any other traditional martial art — functional in the MMA era. You need to be able to ensure that your techniques work against a mixed martial artist because nowadays there are lots of people, both good and bad, who have experience in this form of fighting. Photography by Paul Arakaki

ABDOUL ABDOURAGUIMOV TO FACE KEVIN JOUSSET IN PFL EUROPE NANTES MAIN EVENT AT THE ZENITH NANTES METROPOLE ON 26 SEPT Abdoul “Lazy King” Abdouraguimov returns to action in the main event against French compatriot Kevin “Air” Jousset for PFL Europe Nantes at the Zenith Nantes Metropole Bordeaux’s Kevin Jousset will make his PFL debut on Friday 26 September and will look to stop Abdouraguimov from making it ten-straight wins in an elite match-up between two French MMA fighters Tickets for PFL Europe Nantes are on-sale now via pfl.info/nantes The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced Abdoul “Lazy King” Abdouraguimov (19-1) will go up against Kevin “Air” Jousset (10-4) in an all-French Welterweight main event showcase bout at PFL Europe Nantes on Friday 26 September at the Zenith Nantes Metropole, with tickets on-sale now via pfl.info/nantes . Jousset is a 2nd Dan Judo Black Belt and a former two-division champion in Hex Fight Series, lauded for his elite grappling prowess and accomplishments which will prove to give Abdouraguimov one of the biggest challenges in his MMA career to date. “Air” has trained around the world, including City Kickboxing in Auckland under the guidance of acclaimed coach Eugene Bareman, helping build out the judoka’s MMA game who will look to make a statement in Nantes’ first ever major MMA show. Abdouraguimov is currently riding a nine-fight winning streak, and will look to hit double-digits when he performs in his home city of Nantes for the first time ever. Beloved for his wild and enigmatic personality, “Lazy King” sets out to entertain the masses every time he steps onto the canvas. His high-level grappling will be put to the test against the calibre of Jousset’s accolades, but with seven stoppages in his last nine victories, he promises to put on a show in Nantes like never seen before.  Nantes will also be the home of PFL Europe’s semi-final Bantamweight and Lightweight fights of 2025, which will see the continent’s top athletes look to secure their spot in the final in hopes of earning the coveted PFL Europe Championship and a cash prize of $100,000 in Lyon this December. “PFL is coming home! After 21 professional fights, I can finally fight in front of my home crowd, where I grew up and learned this sport. And now, it's at the Zénith Nantes Métropole that I'm going to do the next Lazy show. Grab a seat, some popcorn, and be good, but not too much, because I'm here to entertain you on September 26th, let's go!”. Said Abdoul Abdouraguimov . “Nantes. His backyard. My moment. On September 26th, I silence the crowd and win big in my PFL debut.” Said Kevin Jousset .   Updated PFL Europe Nantes Card Friday 26 Sept - The Zenith Nantes Metropole, Nantes, France Welterweight Main Event: Abdoul Abdouraguimov (19-1) vs. Kevin Jousset (10-4) PFL Europe Bantamweight Semi-Finals Bout: Mahio Campanella (8-1) vs. Gustavo Oliveira (11-2) PFL Europe Lightweight Semi-Finals Bout: Connor Hughes (11-2) vs. Gino van Steenis (6-1) PFL Europe Bantamweight Semi-Finals Bout: Dean Garnett (13-3-1) vs. Jan Ciepłowski (9-0) PFL Europe Lightweight Semi-Finals Bout: Claudio Pacella (6-2) vs. Aleksandr Chizov (11-3)

Archie Colgan Puts Undefeated Record on the Line Against New Zealand’s Jay-Jay Wilson 2024 PFL Europe Bantamweight Champion Lewis McGrillen Faces Ireland’s Caolan Loughran in PFL Debut Former Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Sergio Pettis Set to Fight Bellator Title Challenger Magomed Magomedov The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced three new bouts that complete the main card of PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai - The Rematch on Friday, October 3, live from Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. Tickets for the event are on-sale now via this link .  At Lightweight, undefeated Archie Colgan (12-0) will face Jay-Jay Wilson (11-1) in a fight that will have serious future title implications at 155-pounds. The 2024 PFL Europe Bantamweight Champion Lewis McGrillen (12-1) will be in action against a PFL debutant, when Ireland’s Caolan Loughran (10-2) enters the SmartCage for the first time in his career. The first bout of the evening will feature Russia’s Magomed Magomedov (21-4) against former Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Sergio Pettis (24-7), in another bout that will directly affect the future championship landscape. These three newly announced bouts round out a stacked main card headlined by a championship double-header. In the main event, Dagestan’s undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov (19-0, 1 NC) faces Ireland’s Paul Hughes (14-2) in the biggest rematch in PFL history for the Lightweight World Title. The co-main event sees former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Corey Anderson (19-6) take on 2024 PFL Light Heavyweight Champion Dovlet Yagshimuradov (25-7-1) with the PFL Light Heavyweight World Title on the line. This event further cements Dubai’s evolving role as a global MMA hub. It’s made possible through PFL’s multi-year partnership with the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Since its official launch in November 2024, the “Road to Dubai” campaign has brought a series of PFL global MMA events to the UAE, positioning the region as a centerpiece for elite combat sports. While the Road to Dubai Finale is scheduled for January, this October event is an additional showcase, designed to build momentum and further engage fans ahead of the finale. Archie Colgan (12-0) vs. Jay-Jay Wilson (11-1) - Lightweight Main Card Bout Undefeated standout Archie “King” Colgan brings elite Division I wrestling pedigree, Wyoming’s first-ever champion at 157 pounds, into a spotless record highlighted by wins over Mansour Barnaoui, Emmanuel Sanchez, Thibault Gouti, and Manoel Sousa. Across the cage, New Zealand’s Jay-Jay “The Maori Kid” Wilson, a BJJ black belt with a 9-1 record in Bellator, is fresh off an emphatic finish of Mads Burnell in April. With both men closing in on Lightweight gold, this clash promises high stakes and high drama. Lewis McGrillen (12-1) vs. Caolan Loughran (10-2) - Bantamweight Main Card Bout Lewis “The McGrizzla” McGrillen arrives in Dubai on October 3 riding a scorching streak, three consecutive highlight-reel finishes, a 2024 “Fight of the Year” thriller against Dean Garnett, and the PFL Europe Bantamweight Championship around his waist. With 10 of his 11 victories coming by finish, his knockout power is a difference maker. Opposite him, Caolan “The Don” Loughran enters his PFL debut fresh off a UFC win. The former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion is renowned for his relentless pace, forward pressure, and durability, setting the stage for a clash of European talent. Magomed Magomedov (21-4) vs. Sergio Pettis (24-7) - Bantamweight Main Card Bout Russia’s Magomed Magomedov, the first man to defeat former UFC champion Petr Yan, arrives in Dubai as a former ACB bantamweight titleholder with a résumé built on precision grappling and elite finishes. He has guillotined top contenders like Enrique Barzola and Danny Sabatello, pushed Patchy Mix the full five rounds for Bellator gold, and most recently earned a 2025 PFL victory over Sarvarjon Khamidov. Across from him stands former Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Sergio Pettis, who delivered the 2021 “Knockout of the Year” with a spinning-backfist finish of Kyoji Horiguchi before defending his crown in a masterclass against Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. This matchup has all the makings of a high-level chess match and will likely determine the path for the PFL Bantamweight World Title.     PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai - The Rematch Main Card Friday, Oct. 3 PFL Lightweight World Title Main Event: Usman Nurmagomedov (19-0, 1 NC) vs. Paul Hughes (14-2) PFL Light Heavyweight World Title Co-Main Event: Corey Anderson (19-6) vs. Dovlet Yagshimuradov (25-7-1)  Lightweight Main Card Bout: Archie Colgan (12-0) vs. Jay-Jay Wilson (11-1) Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Lewis McGrillen (12-1) vs. Caolan Loughran (10-2) Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Magomed Magomedov (21-4) vs. Sergio Pettis (24-7) Early Card Heavyweight Showcase Bout: Pouya Rahmani (4-0) vs. Slim Trabelsi (8-0) 165-Pound Catchweight Bout: Zubaira Tukhugov (20-6-1) vs. Artem Lobov (14-15-1) Welterweight Showcase Bout: Omar El Dafrawy (14-5) vs. Florim Zendeli (10-1-1)

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS HEADLINE PFL’S RETURN TO DUBAI ON OCT. 3 USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV VS. PAUL HUGHES FOR THE PFL LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE COREY ANDERSON VS. DOVLET YAGSHIMURADOV FOR PFL LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE PFL CHAMPIONS SERIES: ROAD TO DUBAI - THE REMATCH TAKES PLACE FRIDAY, OCT. 3 AT COCA-COLA ARENA IN DUBAI The Professional Fighters League (PFL) today announced a massive championship double-header for its return to the UAE, as two PFL World Title bouts will headline PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai - The Rematch on Friday, October 3, live from Coca-Cola Arena. The biggest rematch in PFL history takes center stage in Dubai, as Dagestan’s undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov (19‑0, 1 NC) and Ireland’s Paul Hughes (14‑2) battle for the PFL Lightweight World Title in the main event. In the co-main event, former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Corey Anderson (19-6) will face 2024 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament Champion Dovlet Yagshimuradov (25-7-1) for the PFL Light Heavyweight World Title.  In addition, three early card bouts have been confirmed, including a Heavyweight clash between former Iranian National Team wrestler Pouya Rahmani (4-0) and former Tunisian Olympic wrestler Slim Trabelsi (8-0), with both fighters looking to preserve their undefeated records. A grudge match nearly seven years in the making is officially set, as Zubaira Tukhugov (20-6-1) finally faces Artem Lobov (14-15-1) in Dubai. Originally booked to fight in 2018, the matchup was scrapped following the UFC 229 post-fight brawl and subsequent suspensions. On October 3, the two will finally settle their score inside the PFL SmartCage. 2024 PFL MENA Welterweight Champion Omar El Dafrawy (14-5) of Egypt will fight 2024 PFL Europe Welterweight Champion Florim Zendeli (10-1-1) of Albania in a battle of two PFL Regional Tournament winners who are both in the midst of multi-fight unbeaten streaks. Additional main card and early card bouts will be announced shortly. Fans can register now for the pre-sale to exclusively buy tickets on Thursday, 14 August at 4:00 pm GST via this link . The pre-sale will be available for registered fans before the general sale on Friday, 15 August at 12:00 pm GST via www.coca-cola-arena.com . This event further cements Dubai’s evolving role as a global MMA hub. It’s made possible through PFL’s multi-year partnership with the Dubai Sports Council and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Since its official launch in November 2024, the “Road to Dubai” campaign has brought a series of PFL global MMA events to the UAE, positioning the region as a centerpiece for elite combat sports. While the Road to Dubai Finale is scheduled for January, this October event is an additional showcase, designed to build momentum and further engage fans ahead of the finale.  “PFL Champions Series on October 3 in Dubai will be one of the biggest nights in PFL history,” said PFL CEO John Martin . “To have two PFL World Titles on the line, featuring four world-class athletes at the top of their game, shows exactly what makes the PFL different. This is more than just a fight card, it’s a global showcase of elite talent, compelling narratives, and the power of our international platform. Dubai is quickly becoming one of the sport’s true capitals, and there’s no better setting for a night of championship-level drama and the biggest rematch in PFL history.”