PFL MENA 9 Dubai: Saadi Upsets Yahya, Djiroun Stops Hamli
PFL MENA 9 launched the league’s 2026 regional season at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on May 24. The card featured tournament bouts and showcase contests across several weight classes. Mehdi Saadi upset hometown favorite Mohammad Yahya by split decision in the featherweight main event, while Ylies Djiroun stopped Salah Eddine Hamli in the first round of the lightweight co-main event.
Saadi Edges Yahya in a Close Main Event
Saadi built his challenge with calf kicks that forced Yahya to switch stances. Yahya answered with straight punches and had stronger moments late, but the judges returned a split decision for Saadi: 30-27, 27-30, and 29-28. The result gave the Tunisian contender a tournament win over the UAE veteran in front of the Dubai crowd.
Djiroun Delivers the Night’s Fastest Main-Card Finish
In the lightweight tournament quarterfinal, Djiroun ended Hamli’s unbeaten start with punches at 4:20 of Round 1. Hamza Kooheji won a featherweight quarterfinal by unanimous decision over Taha Bendaoud, while Basel Shalaan also advanced with a unanimous decision against Abdullah Saleem. Ahmed El Sisy took a split decision over Harda Karim. Mohammad Fahmi advanced after Assem Ghanem withdrew with an injury.
The Dubai card mattered beyond the main-event upset because several tournament brackets advanced. Djiroun, Shalaan, and El Sisy recorded wins in lightweight quarterfinals, while Kooheji advanced in the featherweight bracket; Fahmi advanced after his scheduled opponent withdrew injured. PFL’s event report identifies this card as the 2026 season opener in Dubai, rather than the previously planned Al Khobar date. The source-linked results above provide the official spelling, methods, times, and scorecards for the bouts covered here.
Sources
PFL MENA: official PFL MENA 9 Dubai results
