Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact, taking place on Saturday in Riyadh, will enhance Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for combat sports, say the CEOs of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) and Saudi Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF).
The big fight night at The Mayadeen is headlined by a true Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou’s PFL debut versus 6’8 phenomenon Renan “Problema” Ferreira for the heavyweight world title, while MMA legend Cris Cyborg faces hard-hitting Brazilian Larissa Pacheco in the women’s featherweight world title fight.
Saturday’s fight night is the latest of six PFL events in the Kingdom in 2024, including three of them PPV, and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s role as a leading destination for major MMA competitions. PFL and SMMAF have partnered to advance the sport across the Kingdom and held a joint media day in Riyadh on Wednesday to promote Saturday’s fight and the growth of mixed martial arts in Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Alhazza, CEO of SMMAF, said: “Hosting major international events and partnering with organisations like PFL not only puts Saudi Arabia on the global MMA map but also brings world-class fighters and competitions to our local audience. And that is very much the case with Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact on Saturday in Riyadh.
“Partnerships like ours provide Saudi fighters with the opportunity to train and compete against the best in the world, and the exposure and experience gained through these events are invaluable for the development of our athletes. Just ask Hattan AlSaif, Mostafa Nada, Malik Basahel and Abdullah AlQahtani, for example, all of whom have demonstrated their skills and elevated their careers.
“What we offer the fight world in return in Saudi Arabia is state-of-the-art venues, a hugely passionate fan base, and a strategic location that connects East and West. It makes the Kingdom a perfect destination for international events such as Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact.”
Pete Murray, CEO, PFL, said: “We’re very supportive of the Kingdom’s vision to build a world-class ecosystem of MMA and to be a leader within that globally as well as regionally. This ties to Vision 2030, with the idea of developing future champions. We at PFL pledge to play our role, and this continues Saturday when we couldn’t be prouder to host the biggest MMA event about at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, headlined by world-class fighters in Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira.
“Riyadh has become the fight capital of the world, with boxing and now MMA. The region itself is a major demand growth market and the epicentre of that is right here in Riyadh. October 19 is going to be special.”
Saudi Arabia has hosted more than 100 global sports events since 2018, with 2.5 million international fans in attendance. The number of sports federations has increased by 200% in the last nine years from 32 in 2015 to 97 in 2024. The inspiration Saudi people have taken from the hosting of world-class events is indisputable: sports participation rose from 13% in 2015 to 48% in 2023 – up 300%.
Tickets for Battle of the Giants: Brace For Impact in Riyadh on October 19 are available from this link.
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