Abdullah Al-Qahtani: The Rising Star of Saudi Arabia’s MMA Scene
Abdullah Al-Qahtani, a 24-year-old fighter from Riyadh, is set to make his debut in the Professional Fighters League (PFL) on Friday night. The PFL is the second most popular mixed martial arts (MMA) organization globally, after the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Al-Qahtani will represent Saudi Arabia in the Featherweight category, facing Lamar Brown of the US at the Overtime Elite Arena in Atlanta.
Al-Qahtani’s Journey to MMA
Al-Qahtani’s journey to MMA began in 2016 when he attended a tournament trial. He met coach Firas Zahabi and other fighters, and started training. His mother has been his biggest supporter, encouraging him to pursue his career. After participating in amateur fights, Al-Qahtani received his first offer to fight from Phoenix MMA in the UK in 2018. He has since trained at Riyadh Combat Club and currently represents KHK MMA, owned by Sheikh Khaled bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Al-Qahtani’s Career
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns had a positive impact on Al-Qahtani’s career. He realized that he could not sit and wait for opportunities to come to him and worked harder, focusing on his training. His fights post-COVID have seen stronger performances, and he now finds himself in PFL.
The Benefits of PFL’s League Season Platform
PFL is the only MMA organization that has a league season platform. Although Al-Qahtani is not yet ranked in the league format, he welcomes the stability that such a structure brings to the profession. He knows what to expect at every step and who he will be fighting and when.
Al-Qahtani’s Preparation for the Fight
Before landing in the US, Al-Qahtani had been in training camps, at home and abroad, for almost two-and-a-half months. He trained in Thailand and with Captain Firas and his colleagues at the club in Riyadh. His coach got him a training partner from Dagestan, and he is now in the US. Although his coach was unable to join him, he has plenty of support in Atlanta.
Al-Qahtani’s Future Plans
After the fight, Al-Qahtani will head back to Saudi Arabia and travel with his mother to Morocco for Eid Al-Adha. He may return to Thailand for more training or come back to the US with colleagues such as Ali Al-Qaisi, Jarrah Al-Silawi, and Julio Arce. For now, his sole focus is on Lamar Brown in Atlanta. A win would have him looking forward to fighting more storied names as he looks to climb the PFL rankings.
Conclusion
Abdullah Al-Qahtani is a rising star of Saudi Arabia’s MMA scene. His journey to MMA began in 2016, and he has since trained at Riyadh Combat Club and represented KHK MMA. The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on his career, and he now finds himself in PFL. Although he is not yet ranked in the league format, he welcomes the stability that such a structure brings to the profession. Al-Qahtani is currently preparing for his debut in PFL and hopes to climb the rankings with a win over Lamar Brown.