抖阴短视频

On Friday night Abdullah Al-Qahtani will step into the ring in Atlanta proudly wearing 抖阴短视频鈥檚 colors on the international stage, in the most high-profile bout of his career.

The 24-year-old fighter from Riyadh will take on Lamar Brown of the US at the Overtime Elite Arena in the Featherweight category of Professional Fighters League, which is second only to Ultimate Fighting Championship in popularity among mixed martial arts fans globally.

鈥淲hen I step out wearing the Saudi flag, I am prepared to do anything to raise it high,鈥� Al-Qahtani told Arab News on the eve of the fight.

Few Saudi or Arab fighters have reached this level, but for Al-Qahtani, progress in recent years has been rapid, leading to tonight鈥檚 PFL debut.

鈥淚 started in 2016 鈥� there was a trial for a tournament, so I went to try out,鈥� said the Moroccan-born fighter. 鈥淚 had ambitions before that, but I didn鈥檛 really know where to go, where to begin. When I went to this trial, I met coach Firas (Zahabi, the Canadian mixed martial artist), and other fighters, and so I started on this path.

鈥淏ut my biggest supporter has been my mother, God bless her. She鈥檚 the one who encouraged me to follow this career.

鈥淚 used to train every day, but at that point it was still only at beginner level,鈥� Al-Qahtani, whose speciality is kickboxing, added. 鈥淚 was trying to learn all the tools 鈥� to find a way to enter this industry. After that, I started taking part in amateur fights here and there. In 2018, I had my first offer to fight.鈥�

At the age of 19 he received his first offer to fight from Phoenix MMA in the UK.

鈥淲hen I started (fighting competitively) in 2018, I was ordinary,鈥� he said. 鈥淎fter I had two fights, I could see that there was improvement, everything was good.鈥�

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and all the subsequent lockdowns came, things would change drastically for Al-Qahtani. Surprisingly, it was in a very positive sense.

鈥淲hen COVID came, everything changed for me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 realized that I can鈥檛 just sit and wait for things to happen for me. So I worked harder and put all my focus in to this, to the point that if at any point a fight opportunity came up, I鈥檇 be ready to take it.

鈥淓verything changed, and my fights post-COVID have seen stronger performances.鈥�

Al-Qahtani 鈥� with a record of 5-1-0 鈥� trains at Riyadh Combat Club when in the Saudi capital, but currently represents KHK MMA, which is owned by Sheikh Khaled bin Hamad Al-Khalifa of Bahrain.

鈥淚 send him my highest regards, because he has supported (me) in everything that I have done,鈥� Al-Qahtani said.

Now the fighter finds himself in PFL, the only MMA organization that has a league season platform.

鈥淚鈥檓 still not in the league competition,鈥� he clarified. 鈥淚鈥檝e signed a contract with them but not to be in the league yet. That will come after I take part in several fights first.鈥�

He might not be ranked in the league format yet, but Al-Qahtani welcomes the stability that such a structure brings to the profession.

鈥淚t helps if, from the beginning, you are following a path where you know at every step what to expect and who you will be fighting and when,鈥� told Arab News from his camp in Atlanta.

Before landing in the US, he had been in training camps, at home and abroad, for almost two-and-a-half months.

鈥淚鈥檓 ready, Alhamdulilah,鈥� Al-Qahtani said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been preparing in Thailand. Before that I was with Captain Firas and my colleagues at the club, and they have all been very supportive.

鈥淎fter I returned from Thailand, my coach got me a training partner from Dagestan (Tagir Sagitov), and now I鈥檓 here in the US. Unfortunately my coach was unable to join me, but I鈥檝e got plenty of support here, so I鈥檓 ready.鈥�

After the fight he will head back to 抖阴短视频, and will then travel with his mother to Morocco for Eid Al-Adha.

Beyond that, there is potentially more training time in Thailand, or a return to the US alongside colleagues such as Ali Al-Qaisi, Jarrah Al-Silawi and Julio Arce.

For now, Al-Qahtani鈥檚 sole focus is Lamar Brown in Atlanta, but a win would have him looking forward to fighting more storied names, as he looks to climb the FPL rankings.