MMA & Boxing · Bellator · 2025

Date & time

25 Jan 2025, 17:00

Round

1

Venue

Coca-Cola Arena

Location

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is set to host the Champions Series World Title event, following the signing of a groundbreaking multi-year partnership between the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai Sports Council (DSC), and the Professional Fighters League (PFL). The event will take place on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena, located in Dubai’s City Walk, and is headlined by the returning “Pride of Dagestan,” undefeated Bellator Lightweight World Champion, Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0). He will look to defend his title against Ireland’s Paul “Big News” Hughes (13-1) who is coming off the biggest victory of his MMA career at PFL “Battle of the Giants” after defeating AJ McKee. The first-of-its-kind partnership will see MMA world champions and the sport’s biggest stars from the PFL compete in title fights as Dubai becomes a marquee destination for the best of MMA. All other Champions Series events will now be co-branded as “Road to Dubai”, as each show culminates to the finale set in the new fight capital. As part of the PFL’s commitment to developing the sport of MMA in Dubai, rising Emirati star fighters will now have a pathway to become future PFL Champions.