10 Years in the Making: Rivalry to Be Settled at PFL MENA

PFL MENA 11 delivers an action-packed night of fights in Riyadh that might be flying under the mainstream radar.

Boulevard City in Riyadh is set to host the promotion's regional tournament semi-finals alongside a slate of showcase bouts. The preliminary card even features an amateur contest, with Saudi Arabia's Fatima Al-Ammari making her debut against Aya Lounas after being inspired to take up mixed martial arts by fan favourite Hattan Alsaif.

It all builds towards a blockbuster light heavyweight main event between Mostafa Nada and Osama ElSeady. The two first collided in March 2016, when Nada secured a split-decision victory, before ElSeady exacted his revenge in December of that same year.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow ahead of tonight's PFL MENA 11 showcase in Riyadh, General Manager Jérôme Mazet reflected on the long-standing rivalry headlining the card, which began nearly a decade ago.

"There's something for everyone on this card," he explained. "Naturally, the most exciting matchup is the main event — the trilogy bout between two of the hardest hitters in the region, ten years in the making. There simply aren't many light heavyweights or heavyweights in MENA.

"These guys have been rivals for a decade, the score is tied at 1-1, and both look in peak condition. They are well into the second half of their careers, so legacy is on the line. It's a massive fight for anyone who has followed MMA in this region over the past 10 to 15 years.

"We know we have those die-hard fans, and the volume of feedback we received for this matchup was overwhelming. The appreciation was real, with fans telling us, 'We're so glad you put this together.' Even the fighters were surprised when we reached out and asked, 'Why don't we settle this once and for all?'

"The stakes here go far beyond just a Friday night result. It's about legacy for both men and the chance to stake a claim as the premier big man in the region."

Matchmaker Gustavo Firmino, tasked with putting the bout together, echoed those sentiments:

"Both of their previous fights were razor-close, depending on who you ask. The first went to a split decision, which always fuels debate since one judge saw it the other way. Then in the rematch, which Osama won via TKO, there was a controversial low blow that the referee reportedly missed. At the end of the day, it's 1-1, and now they finally get the chance to settle the score.

"Both have featured in PFL Global. They didn't get as many appearances as they would have liked, so their mindset was essentially: 'If we're coming back, it has to be for a fight that truly matters.' That's exactly what we've delivered. It's a phenomenal main event."