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 high names in MMA. With this victory, Al-Qahtani improved his skilled file to 10-2, incomes each the championship belt and a $100,000 prize.
Abdullah Al-Qahtani
This PFL MENA title was the end result of years of onerous work. “Oh, it’s perfect,” Abdullah Al-Qahtani instructed me in a dialog. “I worked for this, and now I got my belt. This is what I wanted from the beginning of my journey. I wanted something big.”
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 baby, he would watch Hari on YouTube and TV, marveling at his knockout energy. “When I saw Badr Hari, I thought, ‘This guy is huge!’” Al-Qahtani mentioned. “I wanted 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 symbolize Saudi Arabia on the worldwide stage. “I don’t just want to be a normal fighter,” he mentioned. “I want to be someone people look up to.”
Photograph By Tim Wheaton
Interview with Abdullah Al-Qahtani
