Sports

Saudi Arabia-Backed MMA League Seeks to Expand in Dubai, Qatar

A Professional Fighters League fight in Riyadh in November.
Photographer: Mohammed Saad/Anadolu/Getty Images

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By Sherif Tarek

January 15, 2025 at 6:05 AM UTC

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The Professional Fighters League, a mixed martial arts company backed by Saudi Arabia, is in discussions to host events in Dubai and Qatar as part of its efforts to expand in the Middle East.

“We want to build multiple partnerships in the region,” founder and Chairman Donn Davis said in an interview. PFL’s Middle East and North Africa league, launched in 2024, will start to expand outside of Saudi Arabia this year, he said.