The Professional Fights League has signed a multiyear agreement with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Dubai Sports Council (DSC) to bring regular pro mixed-martial arts bouts to the United Arab Emirates.
The first Champions Series event will be held Jan. 25 at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, headlined by Bellator Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov versus rising contender Paul Hughes. In May, PFL held its first bouts in Saudi Arabia.
There will be multiple events annually in Dubai. No financial terms were disclosed.
“The Middle East is a growth region for the PFL,” Peter Murray, PFL CEO, said in a phone interview. “Our partnership is twofold, staging mega-events in Dubai and developing the sport and future UAE top athletes and MMA champions.”
In 2023, the PFL sold a minority ownership stake in the company to SRJ Sports Investments, the sports-focused fund launched weeks earlier by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). SRJ, pronounced “surge,” invested more than $100 million into PFL; it was the first investment by SRJ.
PFL held five events in Saudi Arabia in 2024, including former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou’s return to MMA for the first time in nearly three years. Last year, Saudi Arabia hosted a boxing match between heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and Ngannou, who had signed with PFL that May.
PFL launched its European division in 2023, followed by a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) one this year. PFL Africa kicks off in 2025, with Ngannou as the chairman of the new league. Murray revealed that Australia would be the next league to launch with a 2026 target date. PFL founder and chairman Donn Davis envisions a Champions League-type event that would bring together the title holders in each region.
PFL bought Bellator from Paramount Global in late 2023 to firmly establish its position as the No. 2 MMA promoter after UFC. It expanded the number of events this year from 22 to 27 and plans 40 for 2025. PFL doubled revenue in 2024 to more than $100 million, according to Davis. More than half of the revenue is generated outside the U.S.
