Khobar — Two Moroccan mixed martial artists stand on the brink of championship glory as they prepare to fight for titles at the PFL MENA Finals on Friday night at the Dharan Expo in Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
Badreddine “Dreamchaser” Diani and Salah Eddine “Supersalah” Hamli both successfully made weight Thursday evening, setting the stage for what could become a historic night for Moroccan MMA.
Diani gets his shot at welterweight gold
Diani, who carries a 10-3 record into the bout, will face Kuwait’s Mohammad Alaqraa in the main event for the PFL MENA Welterweight Championship.
The two fighters were supposed to meet in last year’s finale, but injuries pushed their showdown back an entire year.
At Thursday’s weigh-in, Diani stepped on the scale at 169.2 pounds, while Alaqraa came in slightly heavier at 169.8 pounds. Both fighters made weight comfortably for their 170-pound division.
In an interview with Morocco World News (MWN), Diani expressed readiness for tomorrow’s final, confirming that even his mother inspired him to “take the lead after his [current] coach resigned from the game.”
Alaqraa brings a 9-1 record into the fight, making him a dangerous opponent. But Diani has shown he can compete with the division’s best throughout the season.
Responding to MWN’s question about Alaqraa, the Moroccan mixed martial arts fighter said that he trained with his teammates in Casablanca to defeat his opponent tomorrow, adding that “all Arab fans want him [Diani] to win.”
Hamli puts undefeated record on the line
In the co-main event, Hamli will defend his perfect 10-0 record when he battles Iraq’s Mohammad “Soulkeeper” Fahmi for the Lightweight Championship. Fahmi also enters the bout undefeated at 6-0, guaranteeing that one fighter will leave the cage with their first professional loss.
Hamli weighed in at 154.8 pounds on Thursday, just slightly heavier than Fahmi’s 154.6 pounds. The Moroccan fighter has steadily climbed through the ranks this season, earning his spot in the finals with dominant performances.
Speaking to MWN on the sidelines of the conference, Hamli said that “it means a lot that two Moroccans made it to the finals” of PFL MENA 2025.
The matchup between two undefeated fighters adds extra intrigue to Friday’s card. Both men have shown well-rounded skills, but only one can claim the lightweight crown.
When asked about the prospects for mixed martial arts in Morocco, Hamli indicated that in the next two to five years “Morocco will have two to three world champions,” expressing hope that he is ready for being the first tomorrow.
Four championships on the line
Friday’s event will crown champions in four weight classes. Beyond the Moroccan fighters, Egypt’s Islam “The Egyptian Zombie” Reda will face Algeria’s Yanis “The Desert Warrior” Ghemmouri for the Featherweight Championship. Reda weighed in at 145 pounds, while Ghemmouri came in at 143.8 pounds.
The Bantamweight Championship will pit Jordan’s Nawras “Honey Badger” Abzakh against Egypt’s Islam “Moksha” Youssef.
Both fighters have won championships in other organizations before. Abzakh weighed 134.4 pounds, while Youssef hit 135 pounds.
The card will also feature rising Saudi talent, with local favorite Ahmed “Saudi Hulk” Abrahim competing in front of his hometown crowd in Khobar.
How to Watch
Moroccan fans can watch The PFL MENA Finals live on Friday, December 6, starting at 3:30 p.m. in Morocco (5:30 p.m. local time in Saudi Arabia).
Fans in the Middle East and North Africa can watch on Starzplay, while viewers in the United States can stream the event on the PFL app.
For Diani and Hamli, Friday night represents the culmination of months of hard work and sacrifice.
Now they just need to win one more fight to bring championship gold back to Morocco.
